Sussex ordination in Nebraska

It is a particular pleasure to post some photographs here of the Diaconal ordination of a friend of mine, the Reverend Matthew Goddard, the son of another friend of mine, Father David Goddard, the priest-in-charge of my next-door parish, West Grinstead with Henfield, through which the bounteous River Adur also flows her happy way.
No, you haven't misread: Fr David and his family all became Catholics in the 1990s, and by happy provision of Pope John Paul, Fr David, who had been an Anglican clergyman heretofore, was ordained a Catholic priest and now lives with his wife and daughter Kate, as Guardian of the Shrine of our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead and Priest-in-charge of Henfield. His son, Matthew, is now (as you can see) a deacon in the Fraternity of St Peter: he was ordained a few days ago in the States, and kindly agreed that the pictures of the ceremony might be posted here. They are a little out of order—partly this is because they arrived that way, partly because I have never been to a traditional-rite ordination when only deacons were ordained—though I have been to some where only priests were ordained, and where all three major orders were conferred. If I remember rightly, in that context, diaconate ordination came before the Gospel. So excuse my mistakes if I have got the order wrong.

Here, we see the bishop being vested. Having once or twice assisted in this role, I think this takes a particular kind of patience on the part of bishops. It's a bit like going to the barbers, but having seven barbers all taking a turn.

Here are the ordinands; Subdeacon Matthew is left, back.

And here the sacred ministers. This is Bishop Corrada, of Tyler in Texas, a Jesuit, would you believe? I'm told he is A Good Thing.

And here the interior of the church: it looks like the presentation of the candidates.

The confiteor.

This seems to be the collect. The assistant priest is Fr Bisig, the first superior-general of the FSSP, who is now in the USA. When I first met him, his English wasn't great, so it is a real achievement for him to be now working there. I remember well the welcome he and his colleagues gave me when I visited Wigratzbad shortly after its establishment.

The Sermon.

The prostration during the Litany of Saints.

The laying-on of hands; this, with prayer, constitutes the matter and form of the Sacrament of Orders. Having had both (ungloved) hands laid on me at my diaconate ordination, I remember my surprise at the sight of one gloved hand when I saw the Traditional rite for the first time.


Now the 'tradition of instruments'. The mediævals considered this the moment of ordination. The book of the Gospels is handed to the new deacon.

Three of the ordinati.

The offertory of the chalice. In the traditional order of Mass, the deacon offers it with the priest (in this case, the bishop) and says the prayer of offering with him.

The bishop blesses all the clergy at the end of Mass.

All the participating clergy.

And finally, the happy Goddard family: Fr David, clearly, is on the left. God bless them all: they are all wonderful people.