Tu Es Sacerdos

There was great celebrating among the Sister Servants last week! We were blessed to attend the ordination of Father Dominic Lee, OSB, ordained Saturday August 6th. What increased the excitement was that Fr. Dominic is the first of Casa Maria’s Altar Servers to be ordained. He and his brothers served Sunday Masses at our convent for years before he entered St. Bernard’s Abbey in Cullman, AL. His sister has also joined the Benedictine family, as a Benedictine Nun of St. Walburga’s Abbey in Colorado, and was able to come back to Alabama for the ordination.

Sister Marianna has been training Altar Servers for our Liturgies for many years. The reverence of these young men is always an inspiration to the congregation.

Father Dominic was so kind as to come to Casa Maria to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving with our community just a few days after his ordination. We were very excited to celebrate Mass with him and the Lee family. We love every opportunity to sing Tu Es Sacerdos, (“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchezedek” – Hebrews 7:17), which is traditionally sung at ordinations. It is a piece that is always filled with joy and gratitude for God’s blessing of the priesthood!

We were also glad to also be able to receive Father Dominic’s First Blessing. A newly ordained priest may traditionally give his ‘First Blessing’ all through the first year of his priesthood. It is customary, after receiving a ‘First Blessing’, to kiss the newly ordained’s hands, which have been consecrated with chrism for the celebration of the Eucharist.

May God bless all families who generously give their children to the service of God and His Church!