Ordination to Priesthood
Published: 23 September 2018
The occasion of an ordination to priesthood is a blessed moment in the life not only of the recipient but also in the life of the parish where the candidate has previously served as a deacon.
This was the case on 22 September 2018 for Dang Nguyen OSA and St James’s Parish in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo, Australia. The ceremony was led by Most Rev. Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane, and actively attended by some Nguyen family members, thirty-two concelebrating priests, acquaintances of Dang, Augustinians from near and far, and Coorparoo parishioners. The congregation filled the large parish church.
The Archbishop prays with the deacon, who moments later will be ordained a priest.
In his homily, Archbishop Coleridge preached that the world needed humble and poor priests, humble enough to listen, poor enough to let go, humble enough to serve, and poor enough to allow the Spirit to work. He quoted St Thomas of Villanova, “Humility is the mother of many virtues because from it obedience, reverence, patience, modesty, gentleness and peace are born. He who is humble easily obeys everyone, fears to offend anyone, is at peace with everyone, and is kind to all.”
The newly-ordained Fr Nguyen will continue his appointment to St James’s Parish. This enables him to exercise his priestly ministry with the Coorparoo parishioners who supported him while recently he has served them as a deacon.
