Ordination Day

by Fr Gerald Kelly

Simon Penhalagan is one of the longer-term members of Sion Community, having been with us for sixteen years. For the last six of these years Simon has been a student at St Mary's College, Oscott, training for the priesthood. On 28th June 2008 we gathered in Northampton Cathedral around Bishop Peter Doyle to witness and share in the great occasion of Simon's ordination. The day was marked by a great spirit of joy and celebration as Simon became the first member of Sion Community to be ordained priest.

For Simon's parents, the celebrations would have a very personal poignancy as Simon was received into the presbyterate of the Northampton diocese in the permanence of Holy Orders. When Jesus announced to his parents that from now on he must be about his Father's business, it was the cause of deep pondering on the part of Mary his mother, and the beginning of a new life for Jesus; the one time quiet carpenter-son was embarking on a life that would lead to him being claimed by hid disciples as public property. In priesthood, Simon's calling is to a new availability to all, in the service of God's people.

An ordination will always have a significance that goes for beyond the call of the bishop to the individual ordinand. the background and context of Simon's calling is that of community life and mission with Sion Community. In Simon's ordination we experience ourselves to be drawn more closely together and raised up to a new place of genuine pride in what the Lord has done for us and among us. We feel that we can all share in the privilege and blessing of being called and chosen as we pledge our support for Simon in his future life and ministry as a priest.

Simon, as a Core Member of Sion Community, and as a priest of the Northampton diocese is now marking out a new way of how vocation might be discovered and realised. Simon brings not only a particular charism to the Nothampton presbyterate but also his ordination signifies and seals a developing partnership between Sion Community and the Diocese. Simon now relates Sion Community to the institutional Church in a way that can open for us new opportunities for mission within the diocesan structure.

Priesthood is a wonderful sacrament of both leadership and service, of sharing in the joys and sorrows of Christ and his people. We pray that our enthusiastic display of support on Simon's ordination day will deepen and mature into a commitment to Simon in the years to come. May the Lord bless Simon as he himself is used to bless us through his priestly service in Sion Community and in the diocese of Northampton.