Seminary Deacons

Last evening we celebrated a very special Mass. One of our new Deacons exercised two of his rights, the first was to lead the Penitential Rite and the other was to preach. It was his first time for both.

The Principal Celebrant began with the Sign of the Cross and Dominus Vobiscum of course and the Deacon began the Penitential Rite by reminding us that Jeremiah calls us to conversion and then led us in a troped Kyrie.

The Homily was about how names are important. In the Gospel Lazarus clearly has a name, Our Lord gives him a name, Abraham gives him a name and even Dives gives him a name. The Rich Man doesn't have a name, he has been given the name Dives in tradition but this is simply the Latin for Rich. Thus the story is not just about loving our neighbour no matter what his social status as we were taught in Primary School but that God gives status and reward to all his creation as long as they are faithful to him, if they are not they do not receive the status of even a name and are thrust into the eternal fires of Hell. He also enjoyed talking about wearing purple and fine linen in his freshly laundered alb and Lenten Dalmatic.