Nine Ordained to Subdiaconate

On Saturday, February 9th, His Excellency the Most Reverend Robert Finn, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, conferred the subdiaconate on nine men from Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. Seven of the new subdeacons are from the Fraternity and two are from the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Papa Stronsay, Scotland.

The subdiaconate is one of the final stages in a priest’s formation, usually occurring the year before priestly ordination. The duties of the subdeacon include preparing the bread and wine and sacred vessels for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, presenting the paten and chalice at the Offertory and pouring water into the wine, and chanting the Epistle. These duties are evoked during the ordination ceremony, when the Bishop presents the chalice, paten, cruets and book of Epistles to the ordinandi and they place their hands upon them.

The ordinandi are also vested with the maniple and dalmatic, which they carry on their left arms as they process into the church. One of the Redemptorists hand-made the beautiful blue and white vestments that he and his confrere wore on Saturday (see photo at right).