The day after ordination, Father Shumway celebrates Mass of Thanksgiving

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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Father Anthony Shumway celebrates the Liturgy of the Eucharist during the Mass of Thanksgiving on June 29 at Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Park City. At left are Deacon Juan Biaggini Galarraga and Deacon Tom Tosti. Both Fr. Shumway and Deacon Biaggini were ordained by Bishop Oscar A. Solis the night before.

PARK CITY — Father Anthony Shumway, who was ordained a priest on June 28 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, presided at a Mass of Thanksgiving the next morning at Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Park City. Concelebrating were the pastor, Father Christopher Gray, and several other priests of the diocese. Deacon Tom Tosti proclaimed the Gospel; also assisting was Deacon Juan Biaggini Galarraga, who was ordained at the same time as Fr. Shumway.

June 29 was the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the topic on which Fr. Gray based his homily. However, he also included a message to the newly ordained men.

The clerical life supports the Church with word and example “so that she may imitate [Christ] who began to do and to teach,” Fr. Gray said, quoting  Pope Innocent III’s Sermon for the Resurrection of the Lord. “The man who has so acted and taught, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”  

However, “a priest who fails to both ‘do and teach’ weakens his correspondence to Christ, and, therefore, undermines the sacramental mission of the Church,” he continued, and warned against clergy who sin because they will lead to people condemning the Church.

“Holy priest, good deacon, tell us the truth and never feint from its proclamation,” Fr. Gray said. “Confirm the beauty of your celebration of these sacred mysteries in the truth of your words. … Holiness – like charity – flows from person to person. Be holy, and holiness will follow. Unbind sin and give life.”

During the Mass, preaching occurs before the Creed because “after preaching must follow faith in the heart, praise in prayer, and fruit in work: faith in the heart, as expressed in the Creed; praise in prayer, our holy offertory; and fruit in work, that is, the sacrifice that is offered. And so there is a profound connection among the morality, the education, the sacramental duties and preaching of the clergy. If any of these are lacking – a true harm against the people, and especially the most vulnerable – our Lord tells us that it would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around our neck. But in you, o holy priest, o good deacon, is there not great education? Is there not a love of holy things; is there not strong morality; is there not great eloquence? I have seen it, and I know that God has been too good to me in allowing me time with you both.”

At a reception following the Mass, Fr. Shumway presented to his mother the cloth with which his hands were wrapped after Bishop Oscar A. Solis anointed them with chrism oil during his ordination. To his father, he presented the stole that he wore while hearing confession for the first time. The gifts will be buried with his parents when they die; the tradition is that when Saint Peter asks what they have done for Christ, they will present the cloth or stole and say, “I have given you my son.”

Fr. Shumway also expressed his gratitude “for all of you who have supported me over the years; it’s been many years in coming,” especially those who attended the Mass that Saturday. “I really appreciate you coming, having fun with me and praying with me, and just getting to enjoy today with me.”