Priest and deacon ordained by Archbishop Miller
in one ceremony at Holy Rosary Cathedral
“Your prayers have helped me become who I am,” Father Felix Min said as the sounds of hundreds of people clapping echoed through Holy Rosary Cathedral Dec. 7.
With holy oils still fresh on his hands, the 33-year-old newly ordained priest thanked family, friends, priests, and members of St. Andrew Kim Parish for helping him embrace his call to the priesthood.
He was 15 years old when his family immigrated to Canada from Korea and faced many trials in pursuit of education (being unable to complete his high school diploma or enter university) and of the meaning of life. Despite feeling a growing desire to become a priest, his first application to enter the seminary was denied over poor grades.
During every challenge, Father Min said he found refuge in the Church through youth group, daily Mass, prayer, and the support of people with strong faith, especially in his Korean Catholic community. He continued to follow the call in his heart, applying to the seminary a second time and pushing to finish his studies.
“God worked such a miracle out of me,” he said at a celebratory dinner at the Italian Cultural Centre a few weeks before his ordination.
“I can’t help but be moved by so many different people, especially the ones that I met since I came to Canada, that have shown me God’s mercy and favour through their deeds of faith, through their acts of charity, and especially through their sacrifice in prayer.”
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, ordained Father Min to the priesthood and 31-year-old Richard Conlin as a deacon in the same ceremony.
Conlin grew up attending St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Richmond. He was following his dreams of becoming a professional golfer when he realized he felt called to the priesthood.
“The vocation to ordained ministry is fostered and nourished in a community of faith,” Archbishop Miller said. He called on the dozens of priests and deacons present to go about their daily duties with a passionate love for Jesus and his people.
“A deacon or priest can only assume ministerial responsibility in the Church if he loves Jesus as his friend,” Archbishop Miller said.
“Only someone who has experienced God’s mercy can be entrusted in being a messenger of mercy to others. The ordained – deacon, priest, bishop – are to look at their people from their heart, with compassion, with love, with infinite tenderness, especially to those who are suffering, lonely, or wounded in any way.”
In recent years, the Archdiocese of Vancouver has ordained one to three priests each year. Vocations director Father Paul Goo said there could be many more ordinations if all local churches would catch the enthusiasm of Proclaim, the archdiocese’s new initiative for evangelism and discipleship. About 1,000 people experienced the energy of the launch of the Proclaim Movement Oct. 26, and he believes its continued success will bring the church more priests.
“I’ve seen the enthusiasm in the lay faithful of the archdiocese for missionary discipleship and I believe that is the foundation on which we will build a culture of vocations,” he said.
“Missionary discipleship is the context in which all vocations will flower: priesthood, religious life, married life, and single life. Vocation is mission and mission is vocation. The more disciples there are, the more priestly vocations there will be.”
Father Min’s first assignment is a post as a full-time assistant pastor at St. Patrick’s Parish in Vancouver, where he has already been serving for the last six months.
“He was doing everything an assistant pastor would do except for Mass and confessions,” said Father Goo, saying it makes for a smooth transition for the newly ordained.
Meanwhile, Deacon Conlin will return to the Seminary of Christ the King for one more semester of studies before receiving an assignment at a parish. He could be ordained a priest next year.
There are currently 20 men in seminary pursuing a possible vocation to the priesthood.
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