Diaconate Ordination Booklet - Peterpaul Chikezie

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the

Rite of Ordination to the Sacred Order of Deacons of

Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

as conferred by the

Most Reverend Michael Kennedy, DD Bishop of Armidale

Monday 12th July, 2021 5.30pm Saints Mary & Joseph’s Cathedral Armidale NSW

THE INTRODUCTORY RITES Entrance Hymn Praise, my soul, the King of heaven Praise my soul the King of Heaven: To His feet thy tribute bring.

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like me His praise should sing?

Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise the everlasting King!

Praise Him for His grace and favour To our fathers in distress; Praise Him still the same for ever, Slow to chide and swift to bless.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Glorious in His faithfulness.

Father-like He tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame He knows; In His hands He gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Widely as His mercy flows.

Angels help us to adore Him; Ye behold Him face to face; Sun and moon bow down before Him, Dwellers all in time and space.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise with us the God of grace!

Greeting Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Confiteor confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have I greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and

in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. Bishop Kennedy:

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

All: Amen.

Kyrie and Gloria

to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

G lory We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Collect

who have taught the ministers of your Church O God, to seek not to be served

but to serve their brothers and sisters, grant, we pray, that this your servant, whom you graciously choose today for the office of Deacon, may be effective in action, gentle in ministry, and constant in prayer.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

LITURGY OF THE WORD First Reading | Numbers 3:5-9 Gather the tribe of Levi so that they can serve Aaron the priest.

The Lord spoke to Moses and said: ‘Muster the tribe of Levi and put it at the disposal of Aaron the priest: they are to be at his service. They are to undertake the duties that are laid on him and on the entire community before the Tent of Meeting, in their service of the tabernacle. The furnishings for the Tent of Meeting are to be in their charge, and they are to undertake the duties that are laid on the sons of Israel in their service of the tabernacle. You are to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons as “oblates”; they are to be given to him by the sons of Israel.’

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 83:3-6.8. 11. R v.5

R. How happy they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

1

My soul is longing and yearning, is yearning for the courts of the Lord.

My heart and my soul ring out their joy to God, the living God. R.

2

The sparrow herself finds a home and the swallow a nest for her brood; she lays her young by your altars, Lord of hosts, my king and my God. R.

3

They are happy, who dwell in your house, for ever singing your praise.

They are happy, whose strength is in you, they walk with ever growing strength. R.

4

One day within your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

The threshold of the house of God I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked. R. Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Second Reading | Corinthians 5:14-20 He gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

The love of Christ overwhelms us when we reflect that if one man has died for all, then all men should be dead; and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them.

From now onwards, therefore, we do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh. Even if we did once know Christ in the flesh, that is not how we know him now. And for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God’s work. It was God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the work of handing on this reconciliation. In other words, God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself, not holding men’s faults against them, and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation | Matthew 28:19-20 Alleluia, alleluia!

Go and teach all people my Gospel.

I am with you always, until the end of the world.

Alleluia!

Gospel | Matthew 20:25-28 Anyone among you who wishes to be first must be your servant. called his disciples to him and said, ‘You know that among the J esus pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be their slave, just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

THE RITE OF ORDINATION Election of the Candidate Deacon Manvell: Let Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie, who is to be ordained a

Deacon, come forward.

Peterpaul:

Present.

Fr Rector: Most Reverend Father, holy Mother Church asks you to

ordain this man, our brother, to the responsibility of the Diaconate.

Bishop Kennedy: Do you know him to be worthy?

Fr Rector:

After inquiry among the Christian people and upon the recommendation of those responsible, I testify that he has been found worthy.

Bishop Kennedy: Relying on the help of the Lord God and our saviour

Jesus Christ, we choose this man, our brother, for the

Order of the Diaconate.

All:

Thanks be to God.

All give their assent with applause.

Homily

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Promise of the Elect Bishop Kennedy: Dear Son, before you enter the Order of the Diaconate,

you must declare before the people your intention to

undertake this office.

Do you resolve to be consecrated for the Church’s ministry by the laying on of my hands and the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Peterpaul:

I do.

Bishop Kennedy: Do you resolve to discharge the office of Deacon with

humble charity in order to assist the priestly Order and

to benefit the Christian people?

Peterpaul:

I do.

Bishop Kennedy: Do you resolve to hold fast to the mystery of faith with

a clear conscience, as the Apostle urges, and to proclaim

this faith in word and deed according to the Gospel and

the Church’s tradition?

Peterpaul:

I do.

Bishop Kennedy: Do you resolve to keep forever the commitment to

remain celibate as a sign of your dedication to Christ

the Lord for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, in the

service of God and man?

Peterpaul:

I do.

Bishop Kennedy: Do you resolve to maintain and deepen the spirit

of prayer that is proper to your way of life and, in

keeping with this spirit and what is required of you, to

celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours with and for

the People of God and indeed for the whole world?

Peterpaul:

I do.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Bishop Kennedy: Do you resolve to conform your way of life always to the

example of Christ, of whose Body and Blood you are a

minister at the altar?

Peterpaul:

I do, with the help of God.

Promise of Obedience Bishop Kennedy: Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?

Peterpaul:

I do.

Bishop Kennedy: May God who has begun the good work in you bring it

to fulfilment.

All:

Amen.

Litany of Supplication Bishop Kennedy: My dear people, let us pray that God the all-powerful

Father will mercifully pour out the grace of his blessings

on this, his servant, whom in his kindness he raises to

the sacred Order of the Diaconate.

Deacon Manvell: Let us kneel.

Cantor: Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Response: Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercy

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Saint Michael, Holy Angels of God, Saint John the Baptist,

Pray for us.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Saint Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, Saint Andrew, Saint John, Saint Mary Magdalene, Saint Stephen, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint Lawrence, Saint Padre Pio, Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity, Saint Agnes, Saint Gregory, Saint Augustine, Saint Athanasius, Saint Basil, Saint Ephrem, Saint Martin, Saint Benedict, Saint Francis and Saint Clare, Saint Cecilia, Saint John Vianney, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Teresa of Jesus, Saint Maria Goretti, Saint Mary of the Cross, Saint Pius X, Saint John Paul II, Saint Josephine Bakhita, Saint Mulumba, Saint Charles Lwanga, and all You martyrs of Uganda, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, All holy men and women, Saints of God, Lord, be merciful, From all evil, From every sin, From everlasting death, By your Incarnation, By your Death and Resurrection, By the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,

Lord, deliver us, we pray.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Be merciful to us sinners, Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.

Govern and protect your holy Church, Keep the Pope and all the ordained in faithful service to your Church, Bless this chosen man, Bless and sanctify this chosen man, Bless, sanctify, and consecrate this chosen man, Bring all peoples together in peace and true harmony, Comfort with your mercy the troubled and the afflicted, Strengthen all of us and keep us in your holy service, Jesus, Son of the living God, Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

After the singing of the Litany, the Bishop alone stands and, with hands extended, sings or says: Bishop Kennedy: Lord God, mercifully hear our prayers and graciously

accompany with your help what we undertake by virtue

of our office. Sanctify by your blessing this man we

present, for in our judgement we believe him worthy to

exercise sacred ministries. Through Christ our Lord.

All:

Amen.

Deacon Manvell: Let us stand.

Laying on of Hands and Prayer of Ordination

D

raw near, we pray, almighty God, giver of every grace, who apportion every order and assign every office; who remain unchanged, but make all things new. In your eternal providence, you make provision for every age, as you order all creation through him who is your word, your power, and your wisdom, Jesus Christ, your Son, Our Lord.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

You grant that the Church, his Body, adorned with manifold heavenly graces, drawn together in the diversity of its members, and united by a wondrous bond through the Holy Spirit, should grow and spread forth to build up a new temple and, as once you chose the sons of Levi to minister in the former tabernacle, so now you establish three ranks of ministers in their sacred offices to serve in your name.

And so, in the first days of your Church, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, your Son’s Apostles appointed seven men of good repute to assist them in the daily ministry, that they might devote themselves more fully to prayer and preaching of the word. By prayer and the laying on of hands they entrusted to these chosen men the ministry of serving at table.

We beseech you, Lord: look with favour on this servant of yours who will minister at your holy altar and whom we now humbly dedicate to the office of Deacon.

Send forth upon him, Lord, we pray, the Holy Spirit, that he may be strengthened by the gift of your sevenfold grace for the faithful carrying out the work of the ministry.

May there abound in him every Gospel virtue: unfeigned love, concern for the sick and poor, unassuming authority, the purity of innocence, and the observance of spiritual discipline.

May your commandments shine forth in his conduct, so that by the example of his way of life he may inspire the imitation of your holy people. In offering the witness of a clear conscience may he remain strong and steadfast in Christ, so that by imitating on earth your Son, who came not to be served but to serve, he may be found worthy to reign in heaven with him. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

All:

Amen.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Vesting with Stole and Dalmatic Vesting Hymn Servant Song 1.

Brother, sister, let me serve you, let me be as Christ to you; pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too.

2.

We are pilgrims on a journey and companions on the road; we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.

3.

I will hold the Christ light for you in the night time of your fear; I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

Handing on the Book of the Gospel

R

eceive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become.

Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.

Kiss of Peace

The Bishop and all the Deacons present give the fraternal kiss of peace to the new Deacon.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST Preparation of the Altar Praise to the Lord, the Almighty 1.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him for he is your health and salvation.

All you who hear, now to his altar draw near; join in profound adoration.

2.

Praise to the Lord, let us offer our gifts at the altar.

Let not our sins and transgressions now cause us to falter.

Christ the high priest bids us all join in his feast, victims with him on the altar.

3.

Praise to the Lord, who will prosper our work and defend us; surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend us; ponder a new what the Almighty can do, who with his love will befriend us.

4.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in us adore him!

All that has life and breath, come now in praises before him!

Let the Amen sound from his people again, now as we worship before him.

Bishop Kennedy: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours

may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All:

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Offerings Bishop Kennedy: Holy Father, whose Son chose to wash the disciples’ feet

and so set us an example,

accept, we pray, the oblations of our service,

and grant that, offering ourselves as a spiritual sacrifice,

we may be filled with a spirit of humility and zeal.

Through Christ our Lord.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Preface: Christ, source of all ministry in the Church.

V. The Lord be with you.

V. Lift up your hearts.

R. And with your spirit.

R. We lift them up to the Lord.

V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.......

Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Eucharistic Prayer Acclamation We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

The Communion Rite Agnus Dei Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Communion Hymn Humbly we adore thee Humbly we adore thee, Christ Redeemer, King; thou art Lord of Heaven, thou to whom we sing. R. Refrain:

Christ our God and brother, hear our humble plea; by this holy banquet keep us joined to thee.

God, the mighty, thou hast come, bearing gifts of grace: son of Adam still thou art, Saviour of our race. R. Jesus, Lord, we thank thee for this wondrous Bread; in our land thou dwellest, by thee we are fed. R. We who share this myst’ry, in thee made one: ev ‘ry act we offer thee in thy name is done. R. Thou who died to save us, live on as our light; though our eyes are blinded, yet our faith gives sight. R. Christ, do thou be merciful, Lamb for sinners slain; we in grief confess our guilt; cleanse our souls of stain. R. Make us one in loving thee, one in mind and heart; from this holy unity, let us not depart. R.

Prayer after Communion O lord, to your servant, G rant, Whom you have replenished with heavenly food and drink, that, for the sake of your glory and the salvation of believers, he may be found faithful as a minister of the Gospel, of the Sacraments and of charity.

Through Christ our Lord.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

THE CONCLUDING RITES Word of thanks by the newly ordained Solemn Blessing and Dismissal Bishop Kennedy:

Peace be with you.

All:

And with your spirit.

Deacon Chikezie:

Bow down for the blessing.

Bishop Kennedy:

May God who has called you to the service to others in his Church give you great zeal for all, especially the afflicted and the poor.

All:

Amen.

Bishop Kennedy:

May he, who has entrusted you with preaching the Gospel of Christ, help you, as you live according to his word, to be its sincere and fervent witnesses.

All:

Amen.

Bishop Kennedy:

All:

May he, who has appointed you a steward of his mysteries, make you an imitator of his Son, Jesus Christ, and a minister of unity and peace in the world.

Bishop Kennedy:

And may almighty God bless all of you, who are gathered here, the Father, and the Son, and the HolySpirit.

All:

Amen.

Deacon Chikezie:

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

All:

Thanks be to God.

Amen.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Recessional Hymn Holy God, we praise thy name 1.

Holy God, we praise thy name, Lord of all, we bow before thee; all on earth thy sceptre claim, all in heav’n above adore thee; infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign.

2.

Hark! The loud celestial hymn, angel choirs above are raising; cherubim and seraphim, in unceasing chorus praising; fill the heav’ns with sweet accord: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!

3.

Holy Father, holy Son, Holy Spirit, three we name thee, while in essence only one, undivided God we claim thee, and adoring bend the knee, while we own the mystery.

4.

Spare thy people, Lord, we pray, by a thousand snares surrounded; keep us without sin today; never let us be confounded.

Lo, I put my trust in thee, never; Lord, abandon me.

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

SEMINARY FORMATION, MY PROJECT OF LIFE!!

Over the years I have been in the Seminary, I have tried to know and understand more fully what path in life God wants me to follow. This is called discernment. It involves listening to God in prayer; but also involves doing my homework.

Just as the Apostles spent three years close to Jesus, preparing for the time when they would be sent out in his name, so the purpose of the years in the Seminary is to relive, in a way, the experience of the twelve apostles.

Hence, seminary formation is a process of conversion and growth, of attuning seminarians ever more perfectly to the mind and heart of Jesus, so that they are captivated by his person and mission and want to be like him and serve him as priest.

The work of the seminary formators involves a painstaking effort to help each seminarian know, accept and then work through his area of weakness and become the person and priest that God wants him to be. In the seminary, a seminarian is either growing in virtue or declining; and no one can see this better than the seminary formators, fellow seminarians, and of course the seminarian himself.

As my remaining seminary formation days are numbered, two questions that are of paramount importance keep surfacing in my mind. Have I come to a realistic sense of my strengths and weaknesses? Have I really listened to God and to my formators?

Honestly, these are very challenging questions that will take a lifetime to answer; and this is exactly why I have seen my seminary formation as my project of life. The good news remains that, priestly formation is a life-long ongoing journey, which begins again after the seminary formation, and which never end until we behold the Lord of the harvest face to face. ‘’God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference’’ (Reinhold Niebuhr).

O Lord grant us priests! O Lord grant us holy priests! O Lord grant us many holy priests! O Lord grant us many holy religious vocations! St. John Mary Vianney! Pray for us.

Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

Diaconate Ordination | Peterpaul Ikenna Chikezie

If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also.

If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour.

John 12:26

Diocese of Armidale