How Blessed Are We!!

"Father Mariusz Fuks Ordained a Priest"

By the imposition of hands and prayer, in accordance with the tradition of the apostles, Bishop J. Kevin Boland ordained Deacon Mariusz Karol Fuks a priest in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Savannah.

Surrounded by his family, many of whom traveled from Poland, including his mother Henryka Siedlecka, sister Agnes Kuchta and brother Mirek Fuks, his friends, and hundreds of his fellow Catholics from south Georgia, Deacon Fuks became Father Fuks in a warm and impressive ceremony that highlighted the duties of the ministerial priesthood in word and symbol.

After the Scripture readings had been proclaimed (the first in Polish), Father Timothy P. McKeown, vocations director, presented the candidate to the bishop for ordination. Members of the parishes in which Fuks had served as a seminarian and deacon stood to attest to his worthiness. The bishop's election of the candidate for priesthood was greeted with prolonged applause. Bishop Boland began his homily with the words, "How blessed we are to gather as a diocesan family to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Orders!"

Referring to the first reading, from the Prophet Jeremiah, the bishop told the candidate, "the call to priesthood is not too dissimilar to the call that Jeremiah received a call to serve God's people by the power of God's word. The Lord said: 'See, I place my word in your mouth'." From Saint Matthew's Gospel, he quoted the Lord's words, "Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest" and told the candidate, "If you want to be number one, you must serve the needs of all." He added, "One of the core elements of priesthood is prayer with a special emphasis on the Eucharist. In a culture of never ceasing activity, do not be misled by the erroneous dictum: 'My work is my prayer'. Reverse the statement: 'Prayer is my work'." Bishop Boland pointed out the distinction between the priesthood of the baptized "a priesthood we all share" and "the ordained priesthood which we celebrate today. One is not holier than the other but they have their distinctive roles. Both priesthoods are essential for the proclamation of the Good News. The ordained priesthood and the priesthood of the baptized must work in tandem."

Following the homily, the candidate expressed his intent to fulfill the duties of a priest and promised respect and obedience to the bishop and his successors. He then prostrated himself before the altar while the congregation invoked the intercession of the saints in the litany. Then the bishop, followed by all the priests present, imposed hands on the candidate, and then offered the prayer of consecration. Fathers Adam Kasela, pastor of Saint Peter Claver Parish, Macon, and Father Jeremiah J. McCarthy, JCL, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Savannah, vested the new priest in his stole and chasuble. Bishop Boland then anointed Father Fuks' hands with sacred chrism and presented him with the paten with host and chalice filled with wine for the celebration of the Eucharist. Father Fuks and about 50 priests concelebrated the Eucharist with the bishop.

At the end of the Mass, the new priest offered his first blessing to the bishop, and then blessed his family. Bishop Boland announced Father Fuks' first assignment, as parochial vicar of Saint Peter the Apostle Parish, Savannah.

- By Father Douglas K. Clark (Reprinted from the Southern Cross).

Photos by Michael J. Johnson and Paul H. Camp.

Watch the Priestly Ordination of Deacon Mariusz K. Fuks.