The Diaconate Ordinations

Ok, so after the last post I realized that I had not updated you on the ordinations. It was an awe-inspiring experience getting to sing in the choir at St. Peter's. The ceremony was very beautiful and I'm sure the families and friends of the ordinandi were most appreciative for all that everyone did for them- the lectors, MCs, hospitality crew, and everyone else involved. We had any number of receptions and events going on around the house and, as enjoyable as it was, I think the whole house breathed a collective sigh of relief and thanksgiving when the post-ordination reception was over. That really, in a way, marked the end of the chaos and the quiet before the storm, err, school year. Half the house was probably napping after that reception. [:) Here are some pictures from the event. NOTE: All pictures were taken well before the start or end of Mass, so none of these were particularly irreverent (despite how they might look).

Here we are, mulling about in the choir area almost an hour before Mass.

Since I can't bilocate, I had one of the organists take this picture so you could see where I was sitting/standing in the mix.

If you look carefully, you can figure out exactly where we were located in the Basilica- notice the column of the baldachino. Mass was actually held at the altar of the chair, not the altar in the center.

Here are the new deacons with Archbishop Carlson, among others, taking

their group photo after the Mass.

This was from the reception afterward. It was held in our courtyard

at the college. Most of the students were required to perform some service at the reception- I poured drinks until they closed our station. Notice that this picture was taken as I was leaving, so at the peak there were probably six times this many people socializing and celebrating.