Father Kenneth Walker FSSP was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz on Saturday, May 19, 2012, offering his First Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, in the chapel of Saints Peter and Paul. The sermon was given by Fr. John Berg FSSP, the General Superior of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

Congratulations to Father Walker, and let us give thanks to God for him and our four other priests John reminds us in his letter,

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’”

Father Kevin O’Neill FSSP was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Soon after, Father returned to his previous apostolate at Holy Family parish in Dayton, Ohio, for his First Mass. The solemn High Mass was offered with Holy Family pastor Fr. Mark Wojdleski FSSP and Deacon Russell Baldwin of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Congratulations to Father O’Neill, and let us give thanks to God for him and our four other priests as the Fraternity echos the call of our Lord,

And Christ called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over unclean spirits… So they went out andpreached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.

Father Karl Marsolle was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz on Saturday, May 19, 2012, Father Marsolle soon after offered his First Mass with Father Rhone Lillard FSSP, Father Matthew McNeely FSSP and Father Simon Harkins FSSP.  Joining in choir were Fathers Bisig, Lawrence, Kemna and Van der Putten FSSP.

Congratulations to Father Marsolle, and let us give thanks to God for him and our four other priests as Paul reminds us in his letter to the Hebrews,

“For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins:  Who can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err: because he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And therefore he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. Neither doth any man take the honour to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was. So Christ also did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high priest: but he that said unto him: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”  (Hebrews 5: 1-4)

Having been Ordained by Bp. Fabian Bruskewitz on Saturday, May 19, 2012, Fr. Gregory Eichman FSSP returned home to offer First Mass in the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend at the church of St. Peter’s. Assisting Father Eichman was the pastor of Sacred Heart in Fort Wayne, Father George Gabet FSSP — our former District Superior, and Father John Shannon, FSSP.

Congratulations to Father Eichman, and let us give thanks to God for him and our four other priests as our Lord said, “The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Having been Ordained by Bp. Fabian Bruskewitz on Saturday, May 19, 2012, Fr. Brian McDonnell FSSP returned to his home parish, Holy Family in Vancouver, Canada for his first Holy Mass.

Congratulations to our apostolate for their priestly vocation, and let us give thanks to God for Fr. McDonnell FSSP and our four other priests, for “…He said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

The Fraternity would like to congratulate the families of Saint Michael’s Catholic Church, our apostolate in Scranton, PA, for the reception of First Holy Communion on the Feast of Pentecost of ten children of the parish.

It is only fitting that these young souls would be able to offer their First Penance the week before and finally begin to receive Our Lord on the Solemn Feast of Pentecost.

Mass concluded with enrollment of the First Communicants with the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The month of May is always a busy time of the year in Catholic parishes throughout the Church with devotions to Our Lady, First Communion and Confirmations. Holy Family, our apostolate parish in Dayton, OH, is no exception.  Here are some pictures from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati apostolate for the May Crowning and this year’s First Communicants.

On Saturday, May 19, 2012, five deacons of the Fraternity of St. Peter were raised to the Sacred Priesthood of Christ by His Excellency, Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz, at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Our gratitude and thanks to His Excellency for ordaining these men to the Holy Priesthood, our congratulations to our new priests and their families, and thanks to all our benefactors and friends who have supported these men and the seminary during the course of their studies with prayers and other assistance. As each new priest has asked, and we always recommend, continue to pray for our new priests, and all of the priests of the Fraternity.

The newly ordained priests of the Fraternity are:

• Father Gregory Eichman
• Father Kevin O’Neill
• Father Brian McDonnell
• Father Karl Marsolle
• Father Kenneth Walker

Please look for an article and even more photographs of the ordinations in an upcoming edition of the monthly newsletter.

On a lovely sunny morning the Most Reverend James Timlin, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Scranton, conferred the sacrament of Confirmation on 15 young men and 6 young women at Saint Michael’s Catholic Church in Scranton.  Assisting the Bishop were Fr. Jose Zepeda FSSP, pastor of Saint Michael’s, and Fr. Gregory Pendergraft FSSP, Director of Development for the Fraternity and former pastor of Saint Michael’s.

In his opening words, Bishop Timlin stressed the need to actively cultivate one’s spiritual life and relationship with God in our daily lives, as young men and women grow older and venture on their own into the world.  He also stressed the need to have recourse to the Sacrament of Penance and trust in the unfailing forgiveness of God, Who is always here and always ready to strengthen our faith in Him and forgive our transgressions.  In addition he gave wise counsel on availing ourselves of the graces of the Holy Ghost, reinforcing the need to be aware in our daily lives of these gifts:  wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord.

Families of the confirmands gave thanks to God for the increase in spiritual strength Confirmation brings, and following the Rite of Confirmation before a full church, a reception was held in the parish hall.  The FSSP gives its warmest thanks and prayers for Bishop Timlin, the generous and long time supporter of the FSSP in North America.

The broadcast of the Pontifical Solemn Mass for Candlemas from Miami was a tremendous success for LiveMass.net, the internet apostolate of Fr. James Fryar, FSSP. There were thousands of viewers watching as it was streamed live on the web and on iMass. In a few weeks LiveMass.net will broadcast its second remote event.

The Priestly Ordinations for Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary was broadcast LIVE from the Cathedral of the Risen Christ, Lincoln Nebraska, on Saturday May 19th 2012 at 10:00 AM Central Time, (11:00 AM Eastern, 8:00 AM Pacific), on LiveMass.net and iMass.

The Priestly Ordinations were administered by His Excellency Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz, Bishop of Lincoln Nebraska. The following candidates were ordained priests for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter:

• Rev. Mr. Gregory Eichman FSSP
• Rev. Mr. Karl Marsolle FSSP
• Rev. Mr. Brian McDonnell FSSP
• Rev. Mr. Kevin O’Neil FSSP
• Rev. Mr. Kenneth Walker FSSP

Commentary was given during the broadcast by Rev. Fr. Calvin Goodwin FSSP.

This is an opportunity for many people who have never seen an Ordination (nor may likely ever attend one), to be able to view and unite their hearts to this Holy Sacrament and view this breathtaking ceremony from their homes or mobile devices.

For other news – Father Fryar has begun a channel on YouTube called the LiveMassChannel.  Sermons and the like will be posted on the channel little by little.