Families, friends, clergy and religious packed into Holy Family Cathedral on June 6 as seminarian Arthur Roraff, 46, was ordained to the transitional diaconate by Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz.
The occasion marked a pivotal point in Deacon Roraff’s journey of becoming a priest for the Anchorage Archdiocese.
During his homily, Archbishop Schwietz reflected on the reading from Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians where the great saint exhorted Christians to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love.”
Archbishop Schwietz compared this to Deacon Roraff’s disposition as he embarks upon his new ministry.
“May these sentiments permeate your heart, for I know you have a heart of love and you will deeply love those whom you are called to serve.”
As Saint Peter was called in the Gospel to feed Christ’s sheep, Archbishop Schwietz urged the new deacon to “remember that they are Christ’s sheep, not yours,” and that like Saint Peter, Deacon Roraff may be led where he does not want to go. But, alongside this warning, the archbishop reminded him, “Do not fear… You will be sent by a loving God who will not ever desert you.”
Of the many priests present, one played a vital role throughout Deacon Roraff’s seminary years, and at the ordination itself. Father Scott Carl has been Deacon Roraff’s formation director at Saint Paul Seminary in Minnesota, and he stood before the congregation and Archbishop Schwietz, testifying to Deacon Roraff’s worthiness for ordination, and petitioning the church to impart upon him the ministry of deacon.
The congregation agreed to the request with a resounding, “Thanks be to God,” and a round of applause.
Following this rite of election, Deacon Roraff then prostrated himself before the altar as the choir led the congregation in the Litany of the Saints.
“That’s when I went from being scared to being calm,” Deacon Roraff later told the Catholic Anchor. “Before the ordination started, I was experiencing all sorts of new butterflies in my stomach. But during the ordination, when I was lying there, it got transformed from nerves to peace. I felt an outpouring of gratitude for the support of those present at the ordination.”
The ministry of a Catholic deacon is three-fold: to proclaim the Gospel, to serve at the altar and to perform acts of service.
During his ordination, Deacon Roraff made vows of celibacy and prayer, namely to pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily “with and for the people.”
Following the rite of ordination, Archbishop Schwietz presented Deacon Roraff with a Book of the Gospels, a symbol of his new ministry. At this time, the new deacon was clothed in a deacon’s stole and outer vestment by Deacon Felix Maguire.
Deacon Roraff will spend the remainder of the summer in San Antonio, Tex., where he will continue to study Spanish. In the fall, he will return to the seminary to complete his spiritual and academic formation for the priesthood. During this final year he will practice the motions for celebrating the Mass and hearing confessions. Throughout the course of the year, he will have opportunities to serve at the altar and preach at the seminary as well as at the teaching parish he will be assigned to nearby.
As a deacon, he may also baptize and bless marriages, should the opportunities arise.
“I am looking forward to being a deacon and ultimately to the priesthood, which builds upon what changed in me during the diaconate ordination,” Deacon Roraff told the Catholic Anchor. “For me, it’s going to be a big learning year as I make the transition to the priesthood next year.”
'Roraff: Final year before priesthood underway'
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