Bishop Olga Lucia ARCWP and Rev. Aida Soto ARCWP gave an inspirational report of the growth of our movement in South America. This presentation provided many pictures and stories of our ARCWP priests’ work among the poor, in home churches and in solidarity with demonstrations for justice and peace in Colombia, South America.
Our gathering responded to the flowering of a Spirit -filled Church of the People in Colombia with a standing ovation!
We are deeply grateful for the leadership of our sisters in South America !
Shelley Gilchrist:Welcome to the public ordination of
Elaine Pfaff and Rosemary Ellis Robinson as deacons.
Please stand and join in singing our Opening Song:
All Are Welcome!
https://youtu.be/FhPnjA7wsIY
OPENING PRAYER
BMM:We gather joyfully for this ordination and we begin in the name of God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit,
ALL:Amen.
BMM:Our God is with you.
ALL:And also with you.
BMM:Let us pray:Loving God, Jesus, our brother, taught the disciples
not to be served but to serve.We pray for Elaine and
Rosemary that they may serve their sisters and brothers.May
they be effective in their work and persevering in their prayer,
performing their ministries with compassion and concern for all.
ALL:Amen.
Shelley: Please be seated.
PRESENTATION of CANDIDATES FOR DIACONATE
Shelley: We will now present our candidates for the diaconate.
Dotty Shugrue: On behalf of the assembled community and the
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, I call forward
Elaine Pfaff.
Elaine:Here I am. I am ready.
Dotty: Dear Bishop, the holy Church asks you to ordain our sister,
Elaine, to the diaconate.
BMM:Do you know if she is ready?
Dotty:Those responsible have been asked.They testify that they find
her ready.Mary-Ellen Caiafa(via Zoom or Ann Harrington if in-
person) is here to give witness and represent the church, the Body
of Christ, as we present Elaine for ordination.
Ann H.: On behalf of the assembled community and the Association of
Roman Catholic Women Priests, I call forward Rosemary Ellis
Robinson.
Rosemary:Here I am. I am ready.
Ann H.: Dear Bishop, the holy Church asks you to ordain our sister,
Rosemary to the diaconate.
BMM:Do you know if she is ready?
Ann H.: Those responsible have been asked.They testify that they
find her ready.Cathy Collins is here to give witness and
represent the church, the Body of Christ, as we present
Rosemary for ordination.
BMM/MEC:In the name of Jesus, we choose you, Anne, Elaine and
Rosemary as deacons.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
Shelley:Let us signify our approval by singing "Amen."
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Reading 1: Isaiah 61:1-3 - read by the Deacon Candidates
Ordination – July 7, 2022
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading:
Isaiah 61:1-3
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah
The Spirit of God is upon me,
For the Holy One has anointed me:
God has sent me to bring good news to those who are poor;
to heal the broken hears.
To proclaim release to those held captive
And liberation to those in prison,
To announce a Year of favor from God,
And the day of God’s vindication
To comfort all those who mourn
To provide for those who grieve in Zion-
To give them a wreath of flowers instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of tears,
A cloak of praise instead of despair.
They will be known as trees of integrity.
Planted by the Holy One to display God’s glory.
These are the inspired words of the prophet Isaiah and we respond to them by saying Thanks be to God.
Psalm Response: The 23rd Psalm - Bobby McFerrin
https://youtu.be/000AuO_lBJk
Reading 2: Romans 16: 1-5 – read by Dotty Shugrue
A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church of Cenchrea. Welcome her, in the name of our God, in a way worthy of the holy ones, and help her with her needs.
She has looked after a great many people, including me.
Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila; they were my coworkers in the service of Christ Jesus, and even risked their lives for my sake.
Not only I, but all the Churches of the Gentiles, are grateful to them.
Remember me also to the congregation that meets in their home.
Greetings to my beloved Epaienetus, he is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
These are inspired words of Paul and we affirm this by saying, Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation: Sung, choice of cantor
Gospel: Luke 6: 37-38 – proclaimed by Bridget Mary Meehan
A Reading from the Gospel of Luke
Be compassionate as your Loving God is compassionate.
Don’t judge and you won’t be judged.
Don’t condemn and you won’t be condemned.
Give and it will be given to you; a full measure- packed down, shaken together and running over- will be poured into your lap.
For the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.
These are inspired words from the writer known as Luke, and we affirm them by saying, Thanks be to God.
HOMILY
Homilist: Mary Eileen Collingwood
ORDINATION RITE
Shelley:As the People of God gather in hope and love, we now invoke theSpirit of God within these women called to serve as deacons, andwithin us all.
Hymn to the Holy Spirit: Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit)
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Examination of Candidate for Diaconate
Shelley: We invite Anne, Elaine and Rosemary to stand, along with Lucy
Garcia and Patti May who will be representing this assembly in
the examination of the candidates.
BMM: My dear sisters, before you receive the Order of Deacon, you are
asked to proclaim before the assembly, that you willingly take on
this office and ministry.
MEC:So I ask you: Are you ready to be ordained for ministry in the
Church by the laying-on-of hands and by the gift of the Holy
Spirit?
Elaine and Rosemary: I am.
Lucy Garcia: Are you ready to fulfill the office of deacon faithfully and
serve the People of God?
Elaine and Rosemary: I am.
BMM: Are you ready to carry out the ministry of deacon in selfless
dedication and in support of our bishops and priests?
Elaine and Rosemary: I am.
MEC: Are you ready to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully as has been handed down to us, for the glory of God and the flourishing of grace among God's people?
Elaine and Rosemary: I am.
BMM:Are you ready to live from the Spirit within, to be a person of prayer, and in this Spirit, to pray with and for the People of God for the whole world?
Elaine and Rosemary: I am.
Patti May: Are you ready to support the poor and the sick and to help the
homeless and those in need?
Elaine and Rosemary: I am.
MEC: Are you ready to shape your life after the model and example of Christ, whose body and blood are entrusted to you to share with the People of God?
Elaine and Rosemary: With the help of God, I am ready.
BMM:May God complete the good work already begun in you.
ALL:Amen.
Litany of Saints and Prostration of Candidate
Shelley: We invite Patti May, Michael Kateltas, Peggy Alderman and Jill
Correnti Striebinger to lay the prostration cloths.
Shelley: We now invite the candidate for ordination to prostrate while the
Litany of Saints is sung.The prostration is an act of loving
surrender to God.We call upon those who have gone before us
in the communion of saints, our friends, the prophets of God,
and all holy women and men.
MEC: In gratitude, we pray to our loving God who grants abundant grace and blessing to these women, called to be deacons.
BMM: Let us pray:Gracious and Loving God, You hear our prayers and those of your angels and saints. You pour out upon these women the blessing of your wisdom and the grace and integrity of the order of deacon.
MEC: As we approach the moment of ordination, hold them close to you with your unfailing love.You are with us now and always.
ALL:Amen.
Shelley: We invite the ordinands to rise and come forward to the chairs
for the laying-on-of hands.
Laying-On-of-Hands for Deacons
Shelley: We come to the most sacred moment of the ordination rite, the
laying-on-of hands for the deacon, which we celebrate in
reverent silence.The gesture is the prayer and there are no
words spoken.The Bishops lay hands on the ordinand and
pray the prayer of consecration over her.
Shelley: You, The People of God, the Body of Christ, are invited to come
forward in silence to continue this sacred action of laying hands
on these chosen women.
Prayer of Consecration for Deacon
Shelley: Our Bishops will now pray a prayer of consecration for our
newly ordained deacons.
MEC:We praise you, most loving God, and call on your name. You are
with us and we all receive your grace.You call people into holy
service and you choose them for orders in the Church.
BMM: Loving God, you renew everything in your energy. You order
everything according to your eternal designs. Through your
word, your wisdom and the power of love, you provide what we
need in the changing seasons of life.
MEC:You abundantly blessed your Church and have wonderfully
designed the Body of Christ in great diversity of membership.
You unite and sanctify us in your Spirit.
BMM: You give your Church life and growth. For the praise of your
Name, you have established the threefold ministry of Orders and
furnished the Church with holy gifts; as from the beginning, you
chose faithful servants for ministering to your holy people.
MEC:As the Church began to grow, the apostles, led by the Spirit, set
apart seven proven people to be helpers in daily ministry. The
apostles themselves wanted to be free for prayer and for the
proclamation of the word.
BMM: To these chosen ones you entrusted prayer and the table ministry
through the laying-on-of hands. We humbly present these
deacons before you.
BMM: I now invite you, the assembly, to join us in extending your
hands over these women as we embrace the Spirit in them and in
all.
MEC: God’s Spirit strengthens you to carry out your ministry faithfully. God’s Spirit calls you to heal and reconcile.
BMM:God’s Spirit guides you in your work for justice and peace for all. God’s Spirit enlivens you in prophetic and liberating obedience. Together, we are one in Christ, loving and serving as God’s holy
people.
ALL:Amen.
Investiture With Stole for Deacons
Shelley:We invite those who have been asked to do so, to come forward
and represent us all by vesting Anne, Elaine and Rosemary for
ministry in their stoles.
Presentation of the Gospel
BMM/MEC: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are.
Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice
what you teach.”
BMM/MEC: It is with great joy that we present to you our newly
ordained deacons.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Offering of the Gifts
Offertory Song:What Shall I Give to You by Sara Thomsen Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
BMM: Blessed are You, God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made.It will become for us the bread of life.
ALL:Blessed be God forever.
MEC: Blessed are You, God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.
ALL:Blessed be God forever.
Eucharistic Prayer
BMM:Our God is with you.
ALL:And also with you.
BMM:Lift up your hearts.
ALL:We lift them up to our God.
BMM:Let us give thanks to our loving God.
ALL:It is right to give God thanks and praise.
BMM: All-loving and ever-living God beyond all imagining, we give You thanks for the gift of awareness that allows us to recognize Your presence and action in our universe. Everything we have, everything we see, everything we do, everyone we love and everyone who loves us, reveals Your sustaining presence.We thank You for Your presence which animates life and all that exists.
MEC: You express yourself in human life and through us you sing and dance, speak and write, love and create.In this we never cease to hope, and for this we always thank and praise You.We join with the saints of all times and places as they sing forever to Your glory:
ALL:Holy, Holy, Holy
– Karen Drucker; reprinted with permission from Karen Drucker; adapted version
Elaine: Loving God, we live and move and have our being in You. We give thanks for those throughout history who have affirmed your loving presence and moved your people to give witness. They have witnessed to your presence in lives characterized by love, mercy, compassion, generosity and forgiveness.
We thank you for Jesus, who loved so greatly, taught so clearly, and proclaimed so courageously. He set people free from images, ideas and religious practices that bound them in fear and a false sense of separation from you. Through Jesus, we know our loving actions become a share in your life. In Jesus, we see your Spirit challenging us to make your presence more visible on earth.
Rosemary: We thank You for Your Spirit of life and love among us. We
are grateful that Your Spirit sets us free to discover your
presence within us and in all of creation.And for this we
thank and praise You.
I invite you, the People of God, to extend your hands and pray with us:
ALL:Loving God, we honor the presence of Your Spirit in these our gifts, as they, and we, become the Body and Blood of Jesus the Christ for our wholeness and the wholeness of all creation.
ALL:We remember that on the night before he died, while at supper with his friends, Jesus took the Bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it them saying: Take and eat, this is my body.
ALL:When supper was ended, Jesus took the cup of wine, spoke the blessing and offered it to them saying: Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life in you. Do this in memory of me.
Rosemary: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
ALL:Nurtured by your Word, nourished by your food, called anew to be your people, we acclaim your praise.
MEC: Loving God, through Jesus You entrusted this pledge of love to us. We celebrate the memory of his life, death and resurrection, and bring to You the gifts You have given us: reconciliation, justice, and peace. You fill us with Your Spirit in the sharing of this meal. You keep us in communion with one another and with all living beings. Your Spirit makes us a sign of unity, a model of equality and instruments of Your peace.
Inspire our leaders, both religious and political, so that they act
without fear to bring your justice. May they become peacemakers
who transform your church and society so that all living beings
and our planet may thrive.
BMM:You have gathered us around this table in friendship, with Mary,
the Mother of Jesus, the apostles, and all the saints. May all who
are suffering in any way be strengthened and consoled by your
Presence. You bless all who have gone before us and bring them
into the lasting joy and peace of your presence.
BMM:You gather together women, men and children of every race, language, religion and way of life to share in your one, eternal banquet. In your presence, we give you glory with all creation and with Jesus through whom your goodness flows.
ALL: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, may all glory and honor be Yours, All-Loving God, forever and ever.
Rosemary: Let us pray together in the Name of Jesus:
ALL:O Holy One, You are within, around and among us,
We celebrate your many names.
Your Wisdom come,
Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us,
Each day you give us all we need;
You remind us of our limits, and we let go.
You support us in our power, and we act with courage.
For you are the dwelling place within us,
the empowerment around us,
and the celebration among us, now and forever.Amen
(Miriam Therese Winter, MMS adapted)
Sign of Peace
Rosemary:The peace of Christ be with you always.
ALL: And also with you.
Rosemary:Please share a sign of peace.
Communion
MEC: Please join in praying the prayer for the breaking of the bread:
ALL:Loving God, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice.
We will live justly.
Loving God, You call us to be Your presence in the world.
We will love tenderly.
Loving God, You call us to speak truth to power.
We will walk with integrity.
BMM: This is the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing. How blessed are we who are called to this Table.
ALL: Jesus, you affirm our worthiness and by your word, we will heal
the world.
Administering the Bread:You are the Body of Christ
Administering the Wine:Receive this Cup of Blessing
Communion Songs:Seed, Scattered and Sown; A Deer’s Cry
https://youtu.be/jqnv4yCnkvQ
https://youtu.be/34DVkdZAIw4
Prayer After Communion
MEC: Let us pray.Loving God, You renew us with spiritual nourishment in this bread and wine. You watch over these newly ordained women and inspire them as faithful ministers of Word and Sacrament to give generously for your glory and for the good of all living beings.We pray this prayer in the name of Jesus, our brother.
ALL:Amen.
Blessing
Shelley:Please stand and extend your hands as we pray our final
blessing.
BMM:Loving God, in this moment, You draw us to you and make us
aware, not so much of what we've given but of all that we have
received and have to share.
ALL:Amen.
MEC: You bless us and move us forward in prophetic obedience to
Your Spirit.
ALL:Amen.
Elaine:You send us forth in power and gladness and with great
