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February 1, 2018Many special moments mark the lives of seminarians. Certainly, diocesan seminarian Nick Vetter has had an exciting few weeks.
On Christmas Eve, he received the great honor to serve Midnight Mass for Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
As Vetter continues his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, he was among 41 seminarians to receive Ministry of Lector at the seminary’s Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
His Eminence Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, conferred the ministry on Jan. 14.
In his homily, Cardinal Farrell reminded those receiving the ministry of Lector that their newly given responsibility to proclaim the Word of God is not something new, but rather is a confirmation of their commitment to living a life centered on the Gospel message. He encouraged the men that the preaching of the Word of God is not done just in speech, but most importantly in their daily witness to the truth of the person of Jesus Christ. “[Preaching] is not he eloquence of our words,” Cardinal Farrell said. “but the witness of our lives. It is an expression of who we are.” As he concluded his homily, the Cardinal encouraged all priests and future priests to always be faithful to the preaching of the Word of God in their ministry.
The seminarians, currently in their first year of theological formation for the priesthood will have three additional years of theological, spiritual and pastoral formation ahead of them before being ordained to the priesthood in their home dioceses.
As part of the rite, the Cardinal placed the holy Scriptures in the hands of each candidate and said, “Take this book of holy Scripture and be faithful in handing on the word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of his people.”
Some information submitted by the Pontifical North American College, Rome.