Four seminarians of the Archdiocese of Louisville, from left, Yen Tran, Matthew Millay, Van Tran and Kenneth Nauert, stood before the altar during their ordination to the transitional diaconate March 25. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre ordained Kenneth Nauert, Van Tran, Matthew Millay and Yen Tran — four seminarians of the Archdiocese of Louisville — to the transitional diaconate on a windy day at the Cathedral of the Assumption March 25.
The bilingual Mass was celebrated in English and Vietnamese, as two of the ordinands were born and raised in Vietnam. Archbishop Fabre expressed his gratitude to their families, who watched via livestream, even though it was late at night in the Asian country.
Kenneth Nauert, Van Tran, Matthew Millay and Yen Tran laid prostrate before the altar during their ordination to the transitional diaconate. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
“We come to this moment with great joy,” the archbishop told his listeners. “Thank you very much for offering your sons for their service to the church.”
The ordination Mass was held on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, which celebrates the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announcing that she would become the mother of the Son of God.
In preparing for the Mass, Archbishop Fabre said he reflected on his time as a deacon and how it showed him a dichotomy of the church — the “already of the kingdom of God and the not yet of the kingdom of God.”
“The power of the kingdom of God is reflected in the sacraments,” he told his listeners. “However, we have not yet experienced the kingdom of God in its entirety.”
Four seminarians of the Archdiocese of Louisville were ordained to the transitional diaconate at the Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Louisville March 25. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre blessed the ordinands before the end of Mass. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
He reminded the ordinands that their ministry and participation in liturgical functions would change, and he called on them to pay attention to what they can learn from the parishioners at the parishes where they’ll be assigned.
He also called on those in attendance to welcome the new deacons to their parishes with open arms.
“If you attend the parishes where they’ll be assigned, open the stories of your lives and faith to them,” he said. “Moving to a new parish can be isolating. An invitation for coffee to a home can be” a warm welcome.
“You’re making the first irrevocable step toward permanent priesthood,” he told the seminarians.
Yen Tran, left, and Matthew Millay, two of the four seminarians ordained to the transitional diaconate on March 25, listened to Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre’s homily. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre prayed over seminarian Van Tran during his ordination to the transitional diaconate March 25. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre laid his hands on Matthew Millay during his ordination to the transitional diaconate. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre prayed with Yen Tran during his ordination to the transitional diaconate March 25. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Matthew Millay, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Louisville, was vested with the dalmatic and stole, signs of the deacon’s office, by Fathers Tony Cecil, far right, and Anthony Chandler. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Deacon Denny Nash embraced seminarian Kenneth Nauert during the kiss of peace as Nauert was ordained to the transitional diaconate. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Kenneth Nauert, third from left, and Van Tran joined priests and deacons of the archdiocese on the altar during their ordination to the transitional diaconate March 25 at the Cathedral of the Assumption. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
The four seminarians ordained to the transitional diaconate March 25 were applauded by priests and deacons of the archdiocese after their ordination Mass. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Van Tran, a seminarian newly ordained to the transitional diaconate, greeted well-wishers who attended the Mass March 25 at the Cathedral of the Assumption. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
Kenneth Nauert, who was ordained to the transitional diaconate, said a blessing for his friend following Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption March 25. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)
