Al Kimel, of the Pontifications blog, was ordained to the sacred priesthood of the Catholic Church yesterday, Sunday, December 3rd, at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in South Orange, New Jersey. Fr. Kimel, who was formerly a career priest of the Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, PA, and has been involved for some years as a thoughtful and substantial contributor to theological dialogue within the blogging community under the name of Pontificator, resolved to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church after tending his resignation to the Vestry of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in 2005. As he declared at that time in "A Decision Reached":
"It is my intention to renounce my orders as an Episcopal priest and to enter, for the sake of my salvation, into full communion with the Catholic Church. I freely affirm the Catholic Church to be the one true fold of Jesus Christ."We rejoice with Fr. Kimel in his vocation and ordination to the Holy Priesthood. As he wrote last Saturday on his blog, quoting Pope John Paul II:
[P]riests are called to prolong the presence of Christ, the one high priest, embodying his way of life and making him visible in the midst of the flock entrusted to their care. We find this clearly and precisely stated in the first letter of Peter: “I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory” (1 Pt. 5:1-4).Soli Deo gloria.
In the Church and on behalf of the Church, priests are a sacramental representation of Jesus Christ — the head and shepherd — authoritatively proclaiming his word, repeating his acts of forgiveness and his offer of salvation ...
The truth of the priest ... is thus proclaimed with joyful gratitude by the Preface of the liturgy of the Chrism Mass: “By your Holy Spirit you anointed your only Son high priest of the new and eternal covenant. With wisdom and love you have planned that this one priesthood should continue in the Church. Christ gives the dignity of a royal priesthood to the people he has made his own. From these, with a brother’s love, he chooses men to share his sacred ministry by the laying on of hands. He appointed them to renew in his name the sacrifice of redemption as they set before your family his paschal meal. He calls them to lead your holy people in love, nourish them by your word and strengthen them through the sacraments. Father, they are to give their live in your service and for the salvation of your people as they strive to grow in the likeness of Christ and honor you by their courageous witness of faith and love.”
Fr. Kimel's ordination in pictures: "Memories of an ordination" (Pontifications)
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