Joy of the Gospel flows forth from father, son in ordination Mass
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson ritually lays his hands on the head of seminarian Liam Hosty while ordaining him a transitional deacon during an April 27 Mass at St. Barnabas Church in Indianapolis. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
It’s a part of the Church’s ordination ritual that goes back centuries. At the beginning of the rite, a person representing the Church calls forward those to be ordained, calling their names.
This symbolic action, so common in the life of the Church, became personal and poignant in the ordination of seminarian Liam Hosty as a transitional deacon for the Church in central and southern Indiana on April 27 at
St. Barnabas Church in Indianapolis.
Liam’s father, Deacon Tom Hosty, himself ordained a permanent deacon for the archdiocese just two years ago, called forth his son in the ritual.
“Let the one who is to be ordained a deacon come forth,” said Deacon Tom.
After the ordination Mass, Deacon Tom spoke about the emotions he felt.
“It was a powerful moment to announce to the community that he was being called forward to be ordained a deacon,” he said. “It’s unique for a parent to have that role in the rite.”
“It was a beautiful moment to see how much love my dad has for me and how proud he is of me,” added Deacon Liam. “I’m proud of my dad, too. He’s also laid down his life for the Gospel. I hope to do the same.”
Father and son came together toward the end of the ordination rite when the new Deacon Liam was being helped to put on diaconal vestments.
He chose his father to help him put on a dalmatic, the tunic-like vestment worn by deacons in liturgies. As Deacon Liam made sure that his dalmatic, like the one his father was wearing, was fitted just right, Deacon Tom’s face beamed with joy. (Related: See a photo gallery from the Mass)
Emotion glowed on Deacon Liam’s face a few minutes later as his father was the first of a long line of deacons present for the liturgy to share a sign of peace with him.
“My heart was exploding,” said Deacon Liam after the Mass as he laughed with joy. “I think the Lord desires to set the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on fire with love for him. And I hope to be able to be a torchbearer for that.”
Watching it all nearby was Julie Hosty, Deacon Tom’s wife and Deacon Liam’s mother.
“It’s just wonderful,” she said after the Mass. “It’s purely the Holy Spirit. I’m very grateful.”
Being living signs of joy-filled faith in the Gospel will set Deacon Liam and his deacon father apart from the broader culture.
In his homily at the ordination Mass, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson, quoting the late Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, said that today’s society is marked by a “radical individualism” that “ ‘permits everything and forgives nothing.’
“Liam is embarking on a life of ordained ministry and service to the people of God, offering himself in a way that is counter to the culture of his contemporaries in today’s society,” the archbishop said. “But he’s not merely going against it. He has to be willing to transform it by the witness of his life.
“He willingly places his gifts and talents at the service of the Church rather than for selfish gain or personal ideology.”
Deacon Liam said he is looking forward to serving the Church because he knows that his life “has been punctuated by the sacraments.”
“The Lord has blessed me with sacramental graces,” he said. “Now I’ll be able to continue to build up the body of Christ with the gift of the sacraments as well, to keep that grace flowing into the world.” †
