Words of hope prayed over new religious priest

At the conclusion of a Mass of ordination in Rotorua on November 25, Bishop Stephen Lowe presented the new priest to the congregation.

“Fr Jonathan Kilkelly, priest of Verbum Spei, priest of the Church of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Lowe said.

The congregation responded with lengthy and loud applause for one of their own.

Fr Kilkelly had just given a short speech of thanks.

“When I left New Zealand to join the brothers, my grandfather said to me, you tell those brothers that your ordination will be in New Zealand,” Fr Kilkelly said, to much laughter from the congregation.

“I am really thankful to God that I am able to share this grace with you all,” he said.

The new priest thanked Bishop Lowe, Bishop-elect Richard Laurenson, and the priests and parishioners of Rotorua.

He also thanked his family for their “love and patience”. During the first part of the Mass, before he was presented to Bishop Lowe, then-Deacon Kilkelly had used New Zealand Sign Language to interpret the words for his father, Matthew, who is Deaf.

Matthew Kilkelly had taught Fr Kilkelly and his six siblings NZSL when they were children.

Two of Fr Kilkelly’s sisters, Grace and Maureen, who are Sisters of Mary Morning Star, read the Scripture readings at the Mass.

And at the end of his speech, Fr Kilkelly expressed his ultimate thanks – saying “thank you, Jesus”.

The main mission of the Faternity of Verbum Spei is to be a contemplative presence in a diocese and to offer spiritual direction, especially to young adults and students. A notice for their foundation in Boise, Idaho in the USA states that they serve at the cathedral there. Three other New Zealanders are with the fraternity. Br Thomas Fransen (formerly Jacob) made his final profession of vows at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary on November 24.

In his homily at the Mass of ordination for Fr Kilkelly, Bishop Lowe said that words of hope (the translation of Verbum Spei) had been spoken over the ordinand at various points of his life – at his baptism as Josiah Francis Kilkelly at St Michael’s church in Rotorua, with the priest being Fr
Anselm Aherne, MHM; at his first Communion with the priest being Fr Robert Sharplin; at his confirmation, with the minister being Bishop Denis Browne, and at his entering religious life.

And now new words of hope would be said as Fr Kilkelly was ordained as a priest.

Bishop Lowe prayed that Fr Kilkelly would be “a missionary of hope, hope for a broken world”.

Christ is the Word of hope, and you will act in his name, Bishop Lowe said.

At the same time, Bishop Lowe encouraged the ordinand “to be humble and allow yourself to be clay in the hands of the divine potter, so he might shape you”.

After the Mass, a generous lunch was provided by the Rotorua parish.