Namora and Adrian ordained deacons

TWO “very fine men” were ordained deacons by Archbishop Christopher Prowse at St Christopher’s Cathedral on the evening of September 22.

Receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders was Namora Anderson and Adrian Chan.

Prior to his formation and studies, Reverend Mr Anderson was an apprentice mechanic from Queanbeyan, while Reverend Mr Chan is a former Carmelite novice from Singapore.

Both men had family and friends present, which some travelled far and wide to be there on the night. Deacon Chris Van Gessel vested Deacon Anderson with the stole and dalmatic on the night.

Deacon Chan was vested by Deacon Mick O’Donnell.

During the ceremony, the newly ordained officially received the book of the Gospels – a tradition which has been hanging on since the days of the first Apostles.

“Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach,” Archbishop Prowse instructed both men during the rite of ordination.

The pair promised their obedience to Archbishop Prowse and his successors, whilst also pledging to lead a celibate life for the sake of the Kingdom.

Rev. Anderson recently returned to the Archdiocese following seven and a half years of formation at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd at Homebush in Sydney. During this time he also took on periods of pastoral work in Cootamundra, Goulburn, Moruya, Young, and Temora.

Since leaving Homebush he has spent the past three months serving at Holy Spirit Parish Gungahlin.

Deacon Chan, on the other hand, has been ministering at St Thomas the Apostle, Kambah for the past four months. Prior to Kambah, he spent time in both the Bega and Gungahlin parishes.

In a thanksgiving speech given on the night, Rev Anderson testified that faith begins in the home. And he encouraged each member of the congregation to find God’s will in their lives.

Deacon Chan said something powerful happened for him at the moment at the laying on of hands by the Archbishop as a successor of the Apostles.

“It is a privilege to be ordained a deacon,” the ordinand said.

“I have already had the pleasure of meeting and working with so many good people and I look forward to continuing my journey towards the priesthood and to help keep building the Kingdom of God in this Archdiocese,” he said.

At the ordination, Archbishop Prowse gave a homily instructing the newly ordained deacons to be servants of the Word, servants of the altar, and servants of charity.

“We need to note well, the Pauline requirement of deacons expressed in the second reading from St Paul’s Letter to Timothy,” the Archbishop said.

“He [St Paul] says they (deacons) must be conscientious believers in the mystery of faith.

“Deacons are to lead in public prayer, to baptise, marry [and] bury in His [God’s] name.

Archbishop Prowse encouraged deacons Anderson and Chan to embrace silence, to be men of prayer, and to be humble servants in their new ministry as ordained ministers. And he instructed them to avoid being in a comfort zone.

“We don’t deacons who are presbytery deacons,” he said.

“These are deacons who prefer the company of their own room in front of a screen of some sort.

“And we don’t want sacristy deacons. These prefer the smell of incense rather than the smell of the poor.”

Rev Anderson and Rev Chan are expected to be ordained priests for the Archdiocese in the coming year.