Institution as an Acolyte

To watch the livestream of the Mass, please visit:  

https://usml.edu/mundelein-seminary/mass-of-the-institution-of-acolyte/ 

or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POw8RPqsFmc


“Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2)

On January 19, 2026, I will be instituted into the ministry of Acolyte by the Church.

If you’re wondering what an Acolyte means, here’s a short explanation.

For centuries, the Church prepared men for priesthood through what were known as the minor orders: porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. These were not sacraments, but real ecclesial ministries meant to shape a man gradually into one who serves at the altar and shepherds God’s people.

Following the Second Vatican Council, Pope Saint Paul VI, through his Motu Proprio Ministeria Quaedam, reformed these minor orders into what we now call instituted ministries of Lector and Acolyte. While the form changed, the heart did not. These ministries remain essential steps of formation on the path to Holy Orders.

The ministry of Acolyte is, at its core, the ministry of service, the ministry of the altar. An acolyte is instituted to assist the deacon and priest in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, to serve faithfully at the altar, to preside over the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (without benediction) in the absence of an ordained minister, and, when necessary, to help distribute Holy Communion. In a particular way, the acolyte is entrusted with care for the sacred vessels and with fostering a deep reverence for the Eucharistic mystery. 

If candidacy marked a public “yes” to continue preparing for priesthood, the institution as acolyte draws that yes closer to the heart of the Church’s worship. It invites a deeper interior formation: learning to serve silently, attentively, and reverently, allowing one’s life to be shaped by the rhythm of the altar. It is a reminder that priesthood is never about elevation, but about descent, about learning to kneel, to wait, to prepare, and to give. 

I ask for your prayers that I may grow in reverence for the Eucharist, in love for the Church, and in fidelity to Christ, who “came not to be served but to serve.”

This journey is not mine.
It is God’s, and God’s alone.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.


Location: Mundelein, IL, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It is getting real!!! :)

Image
My exquisite gifts I have reserved for you, my Love! (cf. Song of Solomon 7:13) August 7th, 2025, will be a deeply meaningful day in my journey toward the priesthood. On that day I will be received by the Holy Mother Church in the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. But if you’re wondering what this is all about, keep reading! Up until this point, much of seminary life was centered around discerning if God is calling me to the priesthood. But candidacy marks a change. It’s no longer the question,  “Lord, are You calling me?”  but rather the prayer,  “Lord, thank You for calling me, and help me to prepare and configure myself to you well.”  From here forward, the discernment continues, but it puts on a new veil: not of exploration, but of configuration to the heart of Jesus Christ and the Holy Mother Church. And it is in this mass I publicly express this, and the Church, in turn, receives me as a candidate for Holy Orders. This rite is not an ord...
Read more

Understanding the Drama around the New Marian Note released by the Vatican

by John Paul Philips Disclaimer : The opinions expressed in here are solely mine, and does not represent my diocese or seminary. Earlier this week, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith (DDF) released its new Doctrinal Note titled, Mater Populi Fidelis (Mother of the Faithful People of God).  In addition to pointing to positive titles of Mary, this note also directly addresses the push to define Mary as “Coredemptrix” and “Mediatrix of All Graces.” It has definitely stirred up a lot of deep feelings for many people. For most, this intervention feels sudden (ah, like the good ol’ hermeneutic of rupture claim!) But in the wider Church, this has been a low-simmering fire for decades. But, why did the DDF decide to act now?? Let’s unpack what’s happening, and why this is all happening! The “Drama” This document did not appear in a vacuum. It was a development. In its own presentation, the DDF says it is responding to “numerous requests and proposals” that have been “sowing confusio...
Read more

Beyond the Divide: Thomas Aquinas, Phenomenology and the Manger

Image
If you're into the brainy side of catholicism at all, you probably would believe that Thomas Aquinas and phenomenology are like distant cousins at a family reunion - politely avoiding each other, speaking different languages. Yet, beneath the surface, a profound dialogue awaits - one rooted deeply in our Catholic understanding of God's revelation.                 Image from Pinterest (Diane Ramm) The Incarnation as Theological Bridge Consider the Christmas narrative - a moment that defies philosophical categorization. Here, the abstract becomes concrete , the Infinite touches the finite , and theological boundaries dissolve. Saint Thomas Aquinas understood God as pure act, absolute being. Phenomenologists seek to understand experience as it appears to consciousness. At first glance, incompatible. But in the mystery of the incarnation, these approaches converge in a uniquely Catholic understanding of divine revelation. For Those New t...
Read more