The Ordinations of Fr. Michael Moloney and Fr. Cruz Manuel Holguin Ogaz

Photo by Juan Guajardo

Saturday, June 9 saw the"next" in our ordination celebrations in the Diocese. Fr. Michael Moloney of County Waterford, Ireland, was ordained along with Fr. Cruz Manuel Holguin Ogaz, who is from Chichuaua , Mexico. Fr. Moloney was a practicing emergency room physician for many years in the northern part of our Diocese, and Fr. Holguin came to us from the seminary for the Archdiocese of Monterrey where he was studying previously, and has family in our Diocese. It was a festive day, a meeting between Ireland, Texas, and Mexico, with an overflowing crowd (standing room only) in the Cathedral, and lining Throckmorton street, where people cheering the newly ordained on!  The ordination homily (below) took as a theme the heritage of Mexico and Ireland together.

Photo by Juan Guajardo

Photo by Juan Guajardo

Bishop Kevin Vann and Fr. Isaac Orozco with the A.L.M.A. group
from Immaculate Conception Church in Denton.

Grupo A.L.M.A from Immaculate Conception Church of Denton, were very blessed to be present for the Ordinations of Fr. Michael Moloney and Fr. Cruz Manuel Holguin Ogaz this past Saturday, June 9, 2012. This group of young (unmarried) adults, intended by means of faith to seek the love of God, by knowing it through Him, toward others, and toward all of creation, in such a way that the purpose and reason for the existence of this youth group is “Love” understood in the Christian sense.

At the reception the group expressed excitement for the Ordinations with songs of praise, and A.L.M.A. sang for Bishop Vann, who also sang with them. Below is what A.L.M.A stands for.

A = Amor (Love)
L = Libertad (Liberty)
M = Μετανοια. Conversión (Conversion)
A = Amigos (Friends)

Ordination Homily for Fr. Michael Moloney and
Fr. Cruz Manuel Holguin Ogaz

St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas
June 9, 2012

Michael and Manuel,

Today we gather here as the Family of God, the Body of Christ, the Church, composed of people of Faith who love you, pray for you, and who have accompanied you to this day and helped to make the voice of the Lord heard "Come Follow Me." This day for us is also a historical day. Our Local Church has become a meeting point of a journey of Faith that began in County Waterford, Ireland, and Chihuahua, Mexico. I remember Michael when we first met in Denton and Manual when we visited at the seminary in Monterrey. And here we are, in a journey toward priestly ministry for you Ireland [Michael] and Mexico [Manual] to meet.

Is this meeting of Mexico and Ireland unusual? Perhaps, and perhaps it is not. In history there has been another encounter of Mexico and Ireland that may give us a reference point today. Thanks to Fr. John Robert Skeldon, I discovered some history of a chapter in the history of the United States where Ireland and Mexico did meet: In the Mexican American War where the Irish, in what would be called the Battalon de San Patricio, left their Protestant American battalions to join the Mexican Forces. Why did they leave? Because when the Irish saw the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, they realized that they had come face to face with fellow Catholics, and they had to walk with them in this struggle. It is said that the Irish may have also joined their "co-religionists" so that they could freely practice their Faith: Very providential, indeed, given the challenges of the freedom to live our Faith as well these days!

Michael and Manuel, although it may seem to be unusual to call this particular history to mind today at your ordination — it is a fact of history, where the workings of God's providence are not entirely understood, but are indeed part of our lives and stories of Faith, family, and culture. All of which are woven together by the Hand of God.

From the two paths of Faith and family, rooted in the culture of Ireland and Mexico, we have another encounter today. This is not an encounter of struggle, but above all an encounter with the Lord: where the two paths of Faith and family in Ireland and Mexico have been a journey to where the Lord's call has led you here to preach the Gospel and to build up the Body of Christ with courage and love. And to take up this calling together in our common mission of proclaiming and living the Gospel.

The Sacred Scriptures for this Ordination Liturgy are the Living Word of God for you to live your priestly vocations all of your lives: The Letter to the Philippians, to the Hebrews, and the Gospel of St. Matthew inspired your parents and godparents and those who gave you the gift of Faith. They are to enable you to live the call of priestly ministry daily. For Sacred Scripture to be more than a word on a page, it must be living in your lives, and form your priestly ministry in these ways:

1. As you say “yes” to the call of Christ as priests, you say “yes” to be "Shepherds" who will always have a heart for your people in their needs, and in searching them out.
2. To sing the praise of God by your lives, always putting your trust in Him;
3. By your ministry, always reminding us, again and again, in the midst of life's daily challenges, of our origin and destination; where did we come from, and to whom are we going?

In this time of year, which for many priests is the anniversary of our own ordinations, we not only recall the ceremony to whatever degree, but God's grace prods us, I believe to remember with gratitude all who have come our way - searching for the Lord, trying to find meaning in the midst of life and challenges, that there is indeed a shepherd to say that God is here — that "all shall be well."

Being configured to Christ — being known as an alter Christus is a great responsibility. You will grow in "wonder and awe" as you in your priestly ministry "tour all of the towns and villages" of your pastoral assignments in the years to come. You may wonder why the Lord called you, or why you have been called together this day, but I suppose the Irish and the Mexicans who struggled side by side did so as well. But, the fact of the matter is that you have been chosen by Christ Himself to be his priests, here and now, here in our Diocese, to preach and live the Gospel, and to build up this Family of God in Word and Sacrament.

The banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe that is carried by the Mexican people — in the 1840's or whenever, gives us a path to follow from this moment. Mary, as the Mother of God, whether she is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe or Our Lady of Knock, is a model of discipleship for you. She teaches us again and again to trust in God, to always rejoice in what he has done in our lives, and to always say “YES” to whatever her Son asks us to do. Michael and Manuel, you are called on this day of your priestly ordination and beyond, as you celebrate Mass, hear confessions, baptize, witness marriages, and more, to always say “YES” fully and without reservation to whatever the Lord asks of you. Your lives, lived in holiness, will lead to the holiness of the lives of those whom you serve and care for. Your examples of ministry will call all those who cross your paths to: 1) holiness, 2) to bring them hope, and to say that 3) “YES,” the Good Shepherd cares for them. And moreover, that: He is indeed here, and that God is Faithful and is with us in our journeys from wherever we have come to Eternal Life.

In these times of uncertainty and challenge to our Faith, and how we live our Faith in this culture, the Lord has called you to be with us so that together, we can proclaim our Faith clearly with freedom and confidence.

However one views the account of the Batallon de San Patricio, the occasion of this meeting of Ireland and Mexico for us today will be a blessing for the entire Family of God in Fort Worth and beyond. Finally, a former pastor of this parish, Msgr. "Grundy" O'Donohue must indeed be smiling from eternity today. His father was Irish, his mother was Mexican. The faith of this parish family was forged and strengthened by him during his tenure as pastor here many years ago.

VIVA CRISTO REY!
VIVA LA VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE!