SSPX Ordinations 2018 - 7 New Priests Ordained in Virginia
St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary saw 6 men from the United States and one from Ireland raised to the Eternal Priesthood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the last seven years, 2011-2018, the priestly candidates of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary have meticulously prepared for their priestly ordination through study, prayer, and the discipline of a rigorous seminary formation. These seven deacons were ordained to the Eternal Priesthood on Friday, June 22nd, 2018, by Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais at the Seminary in Dillwyn, Virginia.
As hundreds of faithful watched, Bishop Tissier called each Deacon by name, marking the sacred moment the Church officially recognizes the priestly vocation of each candidate. Each candidate then answered the call of the bishop thus fulfilling the priestly intent of the last seven years. The candidates then, lying prostrate on the ground, called upon the saints in heaven to help them in that most solemn time.
Following this invocation, the Bishop then loosened their chasubles to show that the Church visibly permits Her new priests to absolve sins through the sacrament of Confession. The Bishop lastly placed his hands on the head of each ordinand, in sign of approval of the candidate, as did every priest present, with likewise approval.
Each received the Holy Oil upon their hands in the act of consecrating themselves entirely to their new apostolic mission of saving souls for Christ, as an 'Alter Christus'. The newly ordained priests offered their first Mass in unison with the Bishop and with the help of an assistant priest.
Six new priests from the United States and one from Ireland were ordained: Fr. Thomas Buschmann, Fr. Samuel Fabula, Fr. John Graziano, Fr. Michael Sheahan, Fr. Thomas Tamm, Fr. Nicolas McManus, and Fr. Thomas O’Hart.
Following this event, Bishop Bernard Fellay will ordain three priests on Friday, June 29th in Econe, Switzerland. The next day, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta will confer the Holy Priesthood on six more candidates in Zaitzkofen, Germany – totaling sixteen new priests for the Priestly Society of St. Pius X. These ordinations mark the continued growth of the Society (towards) preserving the Catholic priesthood and drawing down God’s grace to souls through the sacraments and the Mass.
