Ordinations postponed until September

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Diaconate Ordination and the Priesthood Ordination have been postponed until September.

The Diaconate Ordination, originally scheduled for May 16, and the Priesthood Ordination, originally scheduled for June 20, now will both be held on Sept. 5 at 10 a.m., at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

However, there will be certain restrictions on the number of people who can  gather at the Cathedral because of space and government guidelines. The combined Priesthood Ordination Rite and Diaconate Ordination Rite will be celebrated by Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger with 11 men being ordained to the Diaconate, eight men to the Permanent Diaconate and three men to the Transitional Diaconate. There will be one man ordained to the Priesthood on that day.

“These are unprecedented times and we have all been called on to respond with extraordinary faith and trust as we continue to pastorally care for our parish communities and the people of our greater communities,” said Father Anthony Ligato, Vicar for Vocations of the Diocese of Albany, in a letter to the faithful. “We have all had to postpone or cancel masses, First Communions, Confirmations, and many other major events in our parish communities as well as major Diocesan celebrations such as the Chrism Mass.

"Because of the health restrictions that have been put into place, we have had to respond to the needs of our Parish communities through live streaming of Masses, phone calls and Zoom conferences. As I said, these times have called upon us to respond in extraordinary ways.”