New priest called to fidelity at ordination

Originally from Cebu in the Philippines, Fr Ryan Sy arrived in New Zealand in 2015. He trained and worked as a chef before entering formation for the priesthood. He had previously worked as a teacher.

Fr Sy was ordained by Auckland Bishop Steve Lowe at a packed St Luke’s Church in Flat Bush on January 31. At the start of the ordination Mass, Bishop Lowe said “Ryan, it is lovely to be here with you today,” but added that “today is not so much about you, as about us”.

“This ordination of yours is about Christ’s care for his Church. He has called you, he has formed you and today he ordains you to be his priest after his own heart.”

In his homily, Bishop Lowe referred to a recent apostolic letter from Pope Leo XIV on priesthood, titled “A fidelity that generates the future”.

“Every vocation in the Church arises from a personal encounter with Christ, so Pope Leo says to us. Every one of our own vocations, baptised or ordained, starts with the call of Christ in our own hearts, a call which gives life, a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

Before your commitment, your service, your life as a priest, there the words of the Master – follow me, Bishop Lowe said to then-Deacon Sy. Bishop Lowe noted the need for courage in the priestly life.

“Pope Leo says this call to priesthood which you are saying ‘yes’ to today, takes shape in a courageous choice of life. . . . There are so many temptations in our world.”

Bishop Lowe also acknowledged the contribution of Fr Sy’s parents in his formation, which is ongoing and will involve factors such as spiritual direction, interaction with other priests, devotion to the Eucharist and being a man of prayer.

Bishop Lowe encouraged Fr Sy to be humble, to be generous in getting out among the people of God, even when he is tired, because the People of God come first. The priest must act in the person of Christ whose love is sacrificial.

At the end of the Mass, Fr Sy gave thanks to God and to the many people who had assisted him on his vocational journey, notably his mentor Msgr Bernard Kiely.

FULL STORY

Ordination to the Priesthood – Deacon Ryan Sy | EventLive (Evt Live)

Apostolic Letter: A Fidelity that generates the Future (Pope Leo XIV)

Our People — Holy Cross Seminary (Holy Cross Seminary)