Over the Christmas Break four of our Dominican students were ordained to the diaconate. Rev. Br. Jerome Cudden, OP and Rev. Br. John Thomas Mellein, OP were ordained at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC by Bishop Martin Holley. Rev. Br. Michael Hurley, OP and Rev. Br. Vincent Mary Kelber, OP were ordained at Holy Rosary, the Dominican parish in Antioch, CA, by Bishop Allen Vigneron.They join students who are already deacons including Rev. Br. Bernhard Blankenhorn, OP, who was ordained in Toulouse last spring, and Rev. Br. Chinh Nguyen, SDB, who was ordained at St. Augustine’s Parish in Oakland this past fall.
Clerical Brothers are ordained deacons in their sixth year of studies at the DSPT. This follows their profession of solemn vows which normally happens in their fifth year of studies. These brothers now look forward to their priestly ordinations at the end of their seventh year of studies, having been awarded M.Div. degrees. Rev. Br. Bernhard will be ordained a priest this June. Rev. Brs. Jerome, John Thomas, Michael, and Vincent Mary expect to be ordained priests in the spring of 2007.
Talking about his experience serving at the altar as deacon, Rev. Br. Vincent Mary commented, “I felt right up there.”
The DSPT community offers congratulations and blessings to these brothers on their spiritual journey.
