Newly ordained Deacon Taylor K. Mitchell helped Bishop Larry Silva prepare for the Eucharistic prayer during his ordination Mass May 17 at St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church in Mililani, his home parish. (Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Enthusiasm and joy radiated through St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church on May 17 as the Mililani parish’s native son, Taylor K. Mitchell, entered the final leg of his path toward priesthood.
Bishop Larry Silva ordained Mitchell to the transitional diaconate in the mid-morning Mass with nearly three dozen priests and deacons in attendance, as well as family, friends and other faithful.
In his homily, Bishop Silva recounted a conversation he had in 1991 with a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. When then-Father Silva asked what attracted the seminarian to the priesthood, the young man’s response took him aback — “I’m in love with Jesus.”
“It was so simple and so refreshing that it caught me off-guard,” Bishop Silva said. “This young man cut to the chase, went right to the root of true vocation and helped me to focus on this defining characteristic of any ministry.”
He spoke directly to Mitchell, who was sitting with his family after being presented to Bishop Silva as the rite of ordination got underway: “This love of Jesus will take you places you did not imagine going.”
“That is why you must engage every day in prayer — indeed, throughout the hours of the day — so that you will never be far from the love of the one who is the word made flesh.”
“Throughout your life,” Bishop Silva concluded, “you will be asked the fundamental question Jesus asked Peter, not three times but 30 times three times — ‘Do you love me?’ May your whole life be an honest and heartfelt ‘Yes, Lord, you know well that I love you.’”
The rite of ordination continued with Mitchell lying prostrate as the congregation and Bishop Silva prayed over him; the laying on of hands by Bishop Silva; and now-Deacon Mitchell’s investiture with a deacon’s garments.
At the conclusion of Mass, Deacon Mitchell processed out of the church to whoops and cheers.
Bishop Larry Silva lay his hands on Mitchell during the rite of ordination. (Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)
Deacon Mitchell was vested by Deacon Mike Browning of St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church in a deacon’s garments, the diagonal stole and the dalmatic; retired Deacon Wally Mitsui also assisted. (Courtesy Dann Ebina)
