“Thanks be to God for the gift of the Catholic priesthood!”
These heartfelt words from the newly-ordained Fr Adrian Suyanto on behalf of himself, Fr Charbel Boustany FFI and Fr Likisone Tominiko summed up an uplifting night for thousands of people immersed in God’s love and transforming power at St Mary’s Cathedral.
In thanksgiving at the end of the almost three-hour long ordination Mass, without a trace of triumphalism, Fr Suyanto listed the Blessed Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and spiritual fatherhood as ways God loves the world and each of us through his priests.
In them, God “loves us so much that he does not leave us alone,” he said.
It was clear the people of God agree. The early nightfall and the winter cold did nothing to deter thousands from joining Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP for the blessed occasion.
The cherished sons of the church in Sydney were now becoming their fathers in a night that lovingly celebrated the unique and life-giving role of priests at a time when the significance of the Catholic priesthood is being debated even within the church.
People filled St Mary’s Cathedral close to standing room only long before the Mass held on the 11 July feast of St Benedict, and queued for first blessings for more than an hour afterwards.
More than 130 priests, the Sydney bishops, deacons and seminarians processed into the cathedral with the three deacons as the organist and choir launched into the stirring traditional hymn, “I bind unto myself today.”
Also present were representatives of Friar Boustany’s Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate order, including its general delegate Fr Ignatius Manfredonia FFI.
As the candidates were formally presented to the congregation and the rite of ordination unfolded, with its anointing with chrism oil, laying of hands, vesting with sacred garments, and fraternal kiss from every priest there were tears shed, moments of laughter and spontaneous applause.
In his homily Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP said that in contrast to a career, “you’d be mad” to seek a priestly or religious vocation expecting wealth or advancement.
“You pick a job that suits you, while you discern a vocation in a dialogue with God, responding to his promptings and submitting to the judgement of the church. You choose a career but a vocation chooses you.”
With that gift comes unique responsibilities, but there are some today, he said, “even in councils and synods of the church, who would strip priests of their responsibilities for preaching in the liturgy and governing the community.”
“It’s not that they seek a richer collaboration and co-responsibility. They want to shift power to certain lay experts,” he explained.
“In the process they would disintegrate word from sacrament, leadership from pastoral care.
“How this pared-down priesthood as sacrament dispensers can be squared with what Christ instituted and the Catholic tradition teaches is far from clear.
“For as the second Vatican Council confirmed, the critical functions of the priest are to teach, sanctify and govern.”
While some would “recoil” from such a task, it is the most exciting of vocations—demanding but rewarding also, the archbishop said.
Pointing out the men’s Asian, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander backgrounds, he commended these communities for making important contributions to the life of the church in Australia.
With two more ordinations to come at St Mary’s later this year, five new priests is better but “35 would be better again” the archbishop quipped and asked for prayers for more like them.
“To the young men of Sydney I say people are crying out for the words of life and sacraments of grace to transform their hearts and lives.
“You might be the very one by God’s grace to offer them this. Come and discern with us.”
Fr Suyanto grew up in a Buddhist family in Indonesia and sought baptism as a teenager, later coming to Sydney to study chemical engineering at the University of New South Wales where he became involved with the Catholic university chaplaincy and Catholic Asian Students Society.
Inspired by his uncle, a Maronite monk and priest, Fr Boustany was drawn to the priesthood as a child but his vocation only matured after time spend working and travelling for some years post-school.
Now a priest of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, he will continue to be based in Italy.
Fr Tominiko credits the strong faith of his grandmother and the example of his adoptive parents Atonio and Ane in serving their Bankstown parish and Samoan community for planting the seeds of his vocation.
He told The Catholic Weekly afterwards he couldn’t hold back tears after assisting at the consecration for the first time.
“I felt very emotional, humbled, grateful and even shocked to hold Christ in my hands at that moment,” Fr Tominiko said.
“I feel very humbled, because as the archbishop said we will be conformed to Jesus Christ, it’s not about Sone the priest, it’s about Christ the high priest.”