Diaconal Ordination at St. Peter's and dinner following

I just got back from the diaconal ordination for the North American College (seminary division).  25 men from around the U.S.A. were ordained as transitional deacons.  This is the event that everyone looks forward to as they prepare themselves for priestly ministry.  The Diaconate is where the promises of the liturgy of the hours, obedience and celibacy are made. An awesome and radical commitement to follow Christ and to become a coworker in the apostolic ministry of proclaiming the word.  It was held in St. Peter's Basilica at the Altar of the Chair:

I don't have pictures of the ordination because I thought it would be rude and irreverent for me to take my camera out during the liturgy.  I will post some pictures when they have the official ones up on the pnac website.  Until then you can probably see last years pictures on www.pnac.org

But I did take a few pictures of the cena and gelato that followed:

Myself and a good Holy Cross father (we both had the Caprese)


After a long and very beautifully celebrated ordination there is nothing like a great meal (some grappa) and a little gelato to round it all off!  Good times!