Oct. 19, 2016

By Mary Lou Kilian
Editor

Ogdensburg – A path that started in Colchester, Vermont, and continued through decades of work and school brought Father Todd E. Thibault to St. Mary’s Cathedral Oct. 8 where he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Ogdensburg.

Bishop Terry R. LaValley presided at the ordination with priests from the Diocese of Ogdensburg, Vermont and the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, concelebrating.

In his homily, Bishop LaValley reminded Father Thibault that the life he was taking on would not be easy.
“Jesus knew that his mission was to lay down his life for God’s people,” the bishop said. “Todd, it is no different for you. Your priestly ministry makes that claim on your life.”

“Priests must inspire, bless, and affect profoundly those around them,” he said. “To warm up the world in God’s merciful ways requires energy, patience, much sacrifice, profound prayer and trust.”

“You must enter into the messiness of the lives of God’s people,” Bishop LaValley said. “Your spirituality must animate and sustain the pastoral charity that marks priestly ministry so that you are a true pastor of souls.

Ordination rite
After listening to scripture readings proclaimed by Bonnie Picard, Deb Kepler and Deacon Michael Jablonski, the rite of ordination began with the election of the candidate.

Father Bryan D. Stitt, who served as diocesan vocation director throughout Father Thibault’s years in the seminary, attested to the worthiness of the candidate.

Bishop LaValley delivered his homily before accepting a promise of obedience from Father Thibault who expressed his resolve to “carry out his office in accord with the mind of Christ and the Church, under the direction of the bishop.”

The Litany of Supplication followed as the assembly prayed for the intercession of the saints and for God’s grace as Father Thibault prostrated himself on the floor in front of the altar.

The actual moment of ordination followed as Bishop LaValley laid his hands on the head of Father Thibault and said the Prayer of Ordination.

Each of the priests at the ordination came forward and laid hands on his head as well.

Father Thibault was then vested with the priestly stole and chasuble by Father Donald Robinson, pastor of St. James Minor Church in Carthage where Father Thibault spent a pastoral year, and Father Scott Gratton, parochial vicar of St. Francis Xavier Church in Winooski, Vermont, Father Thibault’s home parish.

Next, Bishop LaValley anointed the hands of the new priest symbolizing the “priest’s distinctive participation in Christ’s priesthood.”

Father Thibault’s parents, Maurice and Pauline Thibault, brought the bread and wine to the altar. The handing over of the priest and wine, placed into the hands of the newly ordained priest, “points to his duty of presiding at the celebration of the Eucharist and of following Christ crucified.”

The ordination rite concluded with the “fraternal kiss” as the bishop and each of the priests welcomed Father Thibault as a co-worker with the bishop in a shared ministry in their order.

Those who took part
In addition to the bishop and priest concelebrants, others who participated in the ordination liturgy included Deacons James Snell and Richard Staab as chaplains to the bishop.

Servers included seminarians and discerners of the Diocese of Ogdensburg and altar servers from St. James in Carthage and St. Mary’s in Copenhagen.

Music was led by Christine Bookman, Judith Fredericks and the diocesan choir.

Father Thibault celebrated his first Mass Oct. 9 at St. James in Carthage.