Photos by James A. McBride
LINDENWOLD — In front of his family, friends, fellow seminarians and clergy of the Diocese of Camden, Edward Kennedy was ordained a transitional deacon May 9 here in a liturgy at St. Lawrence Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Shrine.
The ordination, performed by Bishop Dennis Sullivan, is the final step in Rev. Mr. Kennedy’s journey to the priesthood, which will culminate next May with his priestly ordination.
Calling the day “a significant event for the church,” Bishop Sullivan warmly greeted Rev. Mr. Kennedy at the beginning of the liturgy and, the day before Mother’s Day, praised the love and sacrifices of the new deacon’s mother, Theresa, sitting next to her son.
Rev. Mr. Kennedy’s ordination also was a family affair for two concelebrating priests: his cousins are Msgr. William Hodge, pastor at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Atlantic City; and Father Raymond Gormley, pastor of Incarnation in Mantua.
After the Liturgy of the Word, Father Michael Romano, diocesan director of Vocations, professed to Rev. Mr. Kennedy’s worthiness in front of Bishop Sullivan, and requested that he be ordained.
Bishop Sullivan accepted Father Romano’s words, and next instructed Rev. Mr. Kennedy of his duty as a deacon to “tell the story of Jesus Christ and herald the Gospel,” so that “people might hear the voice of the Lord.”
Coming forward, and placing his hands in the bishop’s, Rev. Mr. Kennedy pledged obedience to him and his successors.
As the diocesan musical ministry led the assembly in the Litany of the Saints, Rev. Mr. Kennedy prostrated himself in front of the Camden leader who, next, laid his hands on the seminarian, ordaining him a deacon.
Father Perry Cherubini, president of Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, of which Rev. Mr. Kennedy is a 2000 graduate, vested the newly-ordained with his stole and dalmatic.
As the Book of Gospels was given to Rev. Mr. Kennedy, marking his role in proclaiming the Good News, Bishop Sullivan and diocesan deacons sealed his admittance with the fraternal kiss.
The next day, Rev. Mr. Kennedy gave his first homily at St. Nicholas Church.
“We are all called to be vessels of … love in the world today, working to spread the message of God’s love for the world,” Rev. Mr. Kennedy told the congregation, referencing the day’s Gospel, in which St. John urged all to “love one another, because love is of God.”
“Our world is so full of darkness and hate that we can’t ignore that call. From radical Islam to radical Christianity to radical atheism, we see all over the world the disastrous effects of what happens when we don’t allow ourselves to hear the message of love that God shares with us.”
This past week, Rev. Mr. Kennedy returned to St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore to complete final exams before he returns to the Camden Diocese for a summer diaconate assignment. In the fall, he will return to Baltimore for Fourth Theology.
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