Diocese of Charlotte seminarians (from left) Gabriel Lugo, John Harrison and Ronan Ostendorf were instituted as acolytes March 1. ROME — Diocese of Charlotte seminarians John Harrison, Gabriel Lugo and Ronan Ostendorf were instituted as acolytes March 1, a step on their ongoing spiritual formation to the priesthood.
The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Samuele Sangalli, adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the Pontifical North American College, where the three men are studying.
In his homily, Archbishop Sangalli preached on the Gospel of the day from Matthew 17:1-9: “As Jesus brought the disciples to the high mountain to witness His transfiguration as a beloved Son, He has brought you to Rome to be transfigured by His glory that is revealed in you as beloved sons.”
Archbishop Sangalli encouraged the men to live out the gospel by evangelizing through the example of their lives: “Remember, that it is the Lord who has chosen you for this ministry to serve at His altar, and you are called to respond by giving of yourself completely in service of His body and blood.”
“Give of yourselves as bread to the Church as Jesus gave of Himself as bread for the world,” he told them. “The portion that has been given to you is to be shared with others.”
As part of the rite of installation as acolytes, the archbishop placed the paten, which contains the hosts for the celebration of Mass, in the hands of each candidate and said, “Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of His Church’.”
The seminarians, Harrison, from St. Mark Parish in Huntersville, Lugo, from Immaculate Conception Parish in Forest City and Ostendorf, from St. Michael Parish in Gastonia, will have two more years of theological studies and spiritual formation before being considered for ordination to the priesthood.
The Pontifical North American College serves as the American seminary in Rome. Founded in 1859 by Blessed Pius IX, the college has formed more than 5,000 priests in the heart of the Church for service in dioceses around the United States and Australia.
— Catholic News Herald. Photos provided by the Pontifical North American College.