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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 7 August 2009
NEW
ANGLICAN PRIEST ORDAINED ON THE FEAST OF SAINT CAJETAN, C.
HUNTSVILLE,
AL. - The Rev. Douglas John Deffenbaugh was ordained a Deacon and
Simplex Priest on the 7th of August. The Most Rev. Rutherford
Johnson, Archbishop of the Southwest, officiated in ancient
Anglo-Catholic rituals under the jurisdiction of the Anglo-Catholic
Archdiocese of the Southwest.
An Anglican
Deacon is an ordained clergyman charged to help the bishop and often
also assigned to a parish. A man must be ordained as a Deacon before
he may be ordained a priest, even if done in the same ceremony. A
Simplex Priest is ordained just as any priest, but is primarily
focused on liturgy rather than preaching and teaching. Simplex
Priests get the Sacraments of the Church to places where they might
not otherwise be available in an efficient and timely manner. This
traditional type of priest makes the Archdiocese more effective in
its mission work.
Ordination
took place within a pontifical sung mass from the throne. After he
read the Lesson of the Day. Fr. Deffenbaugh, then a Sub-Deacon,
prostrated before the altar during the Litany in an act of humility
and acceptance that his ministry is only possible through God's help.
After his ordination, the new Deacon then chanted the Gospel for the
day. He then again approached the faldstool before the low altar for
his ordination to the priesthood. As in the diaconal ordination, he
was admonished as to the seriousness of his new role. Hands were laid
upon his head in the Biblical tradition, the priestly vestments were
put on him, and his hands were anointed with Holy Chrism to mark them
for the celebration of Holy Communion. Then the Sacred Vessel for
communion were placed in his hands. As the mass continued, the new
Fr. Deffenbaugh con-celebrated the mass from a special position
before the altar.
Father
Deffenbaugh is a U.S. Army veteran and works in secular life as a
civilian for the U.S. Air Force. His ministry will continue in
Illinois. He is married to Major Wanda Deffenbaugh, Director of
Continuing Education for the Archdiocese and retired Army National
Guard Officer. When asked about married clergy, Archbishop Johnson
responded "The Anglican Rite has permitted married clergy for
hundreds of years, and the tradition of married priests goes back to
the days of St. Peter and the earliest days of the Christian Church."
The
Archdiocese, founded in 1978, is a mission-based personal prelature
in the Sarum tradition (Anglican Rite in Latin), active in charity
around the world.
Photographs
Copyright © 2009 - Archdiocese of the Southwest. All Rights Reserved.
The Daily
Office is chanted in the chapel before the mass,
following
ancient tradition for a pontifical mass. The Archbishop
vests for
mass during this time before the ministers, servers, and chaplains
process to
the sanctuary.
After the
procession, the prayers at the foot of the altar are said by Abp.
Johnson and Fr. Deffenbaugh, then Sub-Deacon.
The
chaplains of the mitre and crosier stand behind.
The high
altar is censed at the beginning of the mass
Douglas
Deffenbaugh reads the Epistle before his Diaconal ordination.
Douglas
Deffenbaugh prostrates before the altar during the Litany as a sign
of humility
and that
his ministry can only be performed with the help of God. This is traditionally
done at all ordinations.
Deacon
Deffenbaugh kneels at the throne to receive the blessing before
reading the Gospel.
It is the
custom that the newly-ordained Deacon reads the Gospel of the Day.
Deacon
Deffenbaugh processes with the thurifer and acolytes to read the Gospel.
Deacon
Deffenbaugh chants the Gospel.
The
Archbishop lays hands on Deacon Deffenbaugh to transmit the
Holy Spirit
to him and ordain him a priest.
After the
new priest's hand are anointed with Holy Chrism to signify their
ability to transform bread and
wine into
the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sacred Vessels used
in Holy Communion
are
presented to Father Deffenbaugh.
Father
Deffenbaugh censes the Archbishop at the offertory before himself
being censed by the Archbishop.
Following
the General Confession, a long-standing Anglican custom, the
Archbishop takes
the
pastoral staff and grants absolution before communion. Father
Deffenbaugh is in
the bottom
right of the photo, shown in his position for con-celebrating the mass.
It is
customary for new priests to con-celebrate the mass with their
ordaining bishop
from a
special place near the altar.
The
Archbishop at the altar, and Father Deffenbaugh kneeling near the altar
con-celebrating,
recite the Canon of the Mass as the chaplain of the
mitre and
crosier stand in front of the altar.
As the
Agnus Dei is being sung, the archbishop exchanges
the ancient
sign of peace with his con-celebrant,
Father Deffenbaugh
An exciting
moment in the mass: Father Deffenbaugh (right) is brought the
paten from
the altar and takes communion by his own hand
for the
first time.
Father
Douglas Deffenbaugh processes out of the sanctuary for the first time
as a priest.
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