Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Adam J. Parker, a former seminarian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, returned to his alma mater March 20 to confer the ministry of acolyte on 24 seminarians from 17 American dioceses. The liturgy, the first of its kind offered by Bishop Parker at the North American College, was celebrated in the college’s Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
Acolytes are responsible for assisting priests and deacons at Mass and other liturgies.
In his homily, Bishop Parker encouraged the new acolytes to understand that to bear spiritual fruit according to Jesus’ parable of the barren fig tree (Lk 13:1-9) is essential to the apostolic mission.
“The image of bearing fruit is directly tied to the mission that Jesus would ultimately give to his Apostles,” Bishop Parker said. “He would ultimately tell them to bear fruit by making disciples. As we know, bearing this kind of fruit in ministry means building up the church.”
Bishop Parker explained that the college’s second-year seminarians have received a call to build up the church in a particular way through the ministry of acolyte.
“You are instituted into a specific ministry which, like all ministries, serves to bring Jesus Christ to the world,” he said. “In so doing, you will make disciples and build up the church.”
He highlighted the special eucharistic character of the ministry. As part of the rite, the bishop placed the paten, which contains the hosts for the celebration of Mass, in the hands of each candidate.
The seminarians have two additional years of theological studies before being ordained to the priesthood in their home dioceses.
The Pontifical North American College serves as the American seminary in Rome. Founded in 1859 by Blessed Pius IX, the college has formed more than 5,000 for service in dioceses around the United States, Canada and Australia.
The new acolytes did not this year include seminarians from the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
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