Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders
His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, celebrated a Mass of candidacy at St. Augustine’s Seminary for 21 seminarians representing seven dioceses on Sunday, February 5, 2023.
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The Rite for Admission to Candidacy is an important step for each Seminarian on his journey toward the priesthood. The rite is an opportunity for a Seminarian to express publicly his intention to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders as a deacon and later as a priest. The Rite of Admission to Candidacy includes three components: the call to candidacy, the candidate's scrutiny, and the candidate's blessing.
During the homily, His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins mentioned that the chalice he used for the Mass was given to him 50 years ago, before his priestly ordination. On the chalice are engravings of the four evangelists, which he mentioned is very fitting for priestly life -- priests should be rooted in Christ, which comes from prayer and immersion in the Gospels.
After the homily, on behalf of his brother bishops, he received the Seminarians' declaration of intent to complete their preparation for Holy Orders and to give faithful service to Christ the Lord and his Body, the Church. “The ceremony itself is fairly simple - each Seminarian is called up by name, and upon approaching the bishop, he declares his intention to be a ‘candidate’ for Holy Orders with the short phrase, ‘I am present’. They are all asked two questions by the bishop regarding their intentions, and then there is a final prayer and blessing,” Fr. Eric Rodrigues, Director of Spiritual Formation and Liturgy.
In 2023, a total of 21 seminarians were admitted to candidacy. Those received as candidates follow:
Archdiocese of Kingston
Jude Thusiar
Archdiocese of Regina
Daniel Emmet Malone
Archdiocese of Toronto
Michael Edgar Beaupré
Michael Angelo Guadalupe Berlin-Riga
Ivan Christopher Henry Brewer
Marko Busic
Moonjun Alphonse Choi
James Leslie Neto Cyfko
Alvin Thevalakkara Joys
Daniel Donghoon Lee
Ryan Alexander Nigli
Francesco Rampino
Szymon Karol Sorbian
Matthew Steven Tuanquin Tulio
Victor Manuel Valdés
Jeremy Ling Hong Zou
Diocese of Antigonish
Joseph Alexander MacMaster
David Jude Anthony Rankin
Diocese of Charlottetown
Samuel Kenneth Francis Vail
Diocese of Peterborough
Peter Stanley Andrew Bissonnette
Diocese of Pembroke
Lukas John Časta
Please join us in praying for the candidates and all the Seminarians studying at St. Augustine’s Seminary. May God, who has begun the good work in them, bring it to fulfillment!