Br. Matthew Hegemann and Br. Christopher Kalan were ordained to the priesthood and diaconate, respectively, on Saturday, August 13, 2022. The following day, Fr. Matthew celebrated his first mass, with Br. Christopher serving as deacon and Fr. Thomas preaching the homily. It was a joy for the monks to welcome the Hegemann and Kalan families into the monastery this weekend, and to celebrate with these milestones in the lives of their sons! Please pray for both young men, that they might draw ever closer to Christ the Good Shepherd and faithfully serve his people.

Enjoy the pictures!

1. In the first picture, Fr. Matthew elevates the Eucharist at his first mass. Conformed to Christ the High Priest, he is now able to bring us into sacramental contact with Jesus offering his body “for you” (Luke 22:19).
2. Abbot Peter and Bishop Burns flank the newly ordained Fr. Matthew and Br. Christopher. May God send many more vocations to Cistercian and to the Diocese of Dallas!
3. At every ordination, the candidates lie prostrate as the Church asks for the intercession of all the angels and saints, so that these “chosen men” might fulfill the mission with which they have been entrusted.
4. The rite of ordination involves “the laying on of hands” – that is, the ordaining bishop places his hands on the head of the one being ordained. This gesture has been repeated since apostolic times (cf. 2 Timothy 1:6). All validly ordained priests stand in this real and historical connection to Jesus through the Apostles. In this photo, Bishop Burns lays his hands on Br. Matthew to ordain him.
5. The rite also involves the clothing of the newly ordained in the vestments of his ministry. Here Br. Christopher receives a strong embrace from Bishop Burns after he had been clothed with the dalmatic of a deacon.
6. The rite also involves a moment where the vessels proper to the ministry are given to the newly ordained. In this photo, Fr. Matthew receives the paten on which the Eucharist is to be consecrated. As the Bishop entrusts him with the vessels, he charges the new priest with the following words: “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross.”

Amen!