“I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” – 2 Timothy 1: 6-7
GARY – On the eve of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Diocese of Gary joyfully welcomed the ordination of William O’Donnell to the priesthood and Nicholas Emsing to the diaconate with a Eucharistic heart.
“We get to receive and consume the very fire of God in his body and blood, the spirit in Your bread, the fire in Your blood,” said Bishop Robert J. McClory in his homily at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels. “He sends us forth, renews us, to be joyful missionaries on his behalf. What a joyful, joyful occasion we come for today.”
“Our Lord is calling all of us to his Eucharistic Heart,” noted the bishop in explaining the impact of continuous Eucharistic Adoration in a parish he formerly served as pastor. “So many wonderful things can happen,” he said, of a young non-believer who came into the church. “He came to realize that he was not just in a room, but saw the invitation the Lord was giving to him, and it led to his baptism.
“We are called to be signs of the times … it is no coincidence that we are called on this vigil of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi, the bishop said. Addressing the ordinands, he added, “The heart of Jesus calls to you, pray you will always have that emblazoned on your brain.”
The bishop congratulated the families of the ordinands, “and Will and Nicholas for saying ‘yes’ to the Lord,” in their choice of the day’s scripture readings, which included Jesus’ exhortation to his apostle Peter to “Feed my sheep.”
Deacon O’Donnell, said Bishop McClory, conveyed that “I am drawn by His love for me and I want to pour out upon his people His love.” In light of that love, the bishop said, both men “are going to fulfill this call to holy orders. What a beautiful thing it is to say, ‘I am called to this mission and I will answer it.’”
Emsing, added the bishop, repeated the words in the “beautiful passage (read today) from Jeremiah, ‘God has placed his words in my mouth,’ as he begins a life of preaching the Word of God to his people.
“For the rest of your days, trust in the heart of Jesus,” said Bishop McClory.
“I am in awe … I’m happy, joyful, blessed,” said Father Will O’Donnell, 26, as he offered his first priestly blessings to well-wishers at the reception after his ordination. “It’s meant to be, finally, after eight years.” Father O’Donnell’s first assignment is at St. Paul in Valparaiso, where he will serve as associate pastor.
“It’s amazing, I’m on fire for the Holy Spirit,” said Deacon Nicholas Emsing, 26. “I’m excited and ready to do the work,” which he explained as “ministering at the altar and serving the people. I can read the Gospel, assist with liturgies, perform baptisms and officiate at weddings and funerals and funeral rites at the cemetery, and I can give blessings.” Deacon Emsing is serving this summer at St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville before returning for his final year of studies at St. Francis de Sales Seminary outside Milwaukee, Wisc., where he is also assigned to a local parish.
The Rite of Ordination for both young men included the formal presentation of each candidate by Father Nathaniel Edquist, diocesan vocations director, who attested to their readiness. After the elect pledged their obedience to the bishop, they lay prostrate in front of the altar as the congregation prayed for them with the Litany of Saints.
Following the rite of the Ordination of a Deacon, Bishop McClory laid hands on Emsing to signify his being set aside for a particular work in the Catholic Church, followed by the Investiture of the Stole and Dalmatic by Deacon Matthew Virus, who serves St. John Bosco in Hammond, Deacon Emsing’s home parish. “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become,” said the bishop as he handed the new deacon the Book of the Gospels.
Moving to the rite of the Ordination of a Priest, Deacon O’Donnell came forward for the laying on of hands by Bishop McClory, who prayed “that God bestows heavenly gifts in abundance upon this servant he has chosen,” followed by the 49 other priests in attendance also laying their hands on his head with a prayer.
Father O’Donnell chose Father Ted Mauch, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Merrillville, and Father Dominic Bertino, senior priest, to vest him with the stole and chasuble. “Both of them have been mentors for many years,” said Father O’Donnell.
The anointing of the hands with the Sacred Chrism by the bishop came with the words, “May the Holy Spirit guard and preserve you so that you may anoint the holy people and offer sacrifice to God.” The new priest said the anointing of his hands stood out to him as “the bishop really poured the Sacred Chrism out. I was glad that he used a lot, because I wanted to soak the maniturgium (cloth used to wipe off the chrism) that I will give my mom after my first Mass (on June 7 at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, South Campus).”
Bringing forth the Offertory Gifts to the bishop at the altar were Father O’Donnell’s parents, Dale and Amy O’Donnell, followed by the bishop presenting the bread and wine to Father O’Donnell, symbolic of his use of these elements when celebrating Mass.
Bishop McClory welcomed both ordinands into Holy Orders with a Kiss of Peace, while priests in attendance came forward to welcome the newly-ordained priest into the College of Presbyters and the 26 participating deacons welcomed their new colleague into the College of Deacons.
“I feel joy and gratitude that the Lord would call him to the priesthood,” said Amy O’Donnell, who was the first person her son told when he decided to enter seminary. “He was a senior at Andrean High School, planning to go to college, but we knew that was not his happiness.”
Father Mick Kopil, who was teaching at Andrean, was the first person who approached Will and said, ‘Have you ever thought of becoming a priest?’, but he was feeling confused because he wasn’t sure (about his vocation). It was Father Jeff Burton, whose ‘adopted’ family we had been when he was in the seminary, who said to Will in his final year of high school, ‘Do not go to seminary because you know you want to be a priest, go to find out.’”
While her son was still discerning, Amy O’Donnell said she knew he would be a priest “when we left him at St. Mary of the Immaculate Heart in Winona, Minn., that first year. I knew that the Lord wanted him.”
Dale O’Donnell said, “It’s so humbling as a parent for your child to become a priest.
“He was ready to graduate high school, had signed up for college, when my wife called me into his room and said that he had changed his plans. He had talked to Father Kopil and Father Burton and got some answers on what discerning means, and he was crying, because he had found his purpose.”
Dale O’Donnell said he realized about a month ago “that this is really going to happen,” and he found it “extremely comforting” to participate in a special Holy Hour at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs the evening before the ordination.
Terri and Alan ‘Rocky’ Emsing had indications much earlier in their son’s life that he was meant for the priesthood. Adopted at four years old, “he drew angels and crosses in every picture he made,” and he was dedicated to God, said Terri Emsing. “I feel such joy for my son’s happiness and the love of God. This is what he’s always wanted and he’s always worked and studied so hard,” she said.
“This is the first time (during his years in the seminary) that I cried,” admitted Rocky Emsing. “He’s where he’s meant to be. He has one more year until he becomes a priest, and I see him growing a lot.
“People tell Nick he is lucky, but we are the lucky ones,” added Rocky Emsing. “We’d have supported him in anything he wanted to do, and we have always supported him in his vocation. You couldn’t ask for a better child.”
