On Sunday, June 21, the Oblate church in Springvale North, Melbourne, became the stage of a great celebration of the ordination to the diaconate of Br Sayyane. Bp Mark Edwards OMI was the ordaining prelate and majority of the Oblates from Victoria joined the local congregation and visiting guests for the joyful event. Br Sayyane has had a blessing that the man who was his Pre-novice Master and later his seminary rector was ordaining him a deacon now. Bp Mark observed Br Sayyane’s growth in the Oblate vocation over a number of years so it must have been his joy to seal that vocation with the ancient apostolic gesture of lying hands, which has been always associated with the gift of the Holy Spirit being given to the candidate for the ordination.
In his homily the Bishop encouraged Br Sayyane to model his ministry on what Jesus wants of him and not relying on the opinions he may encounter in the future.
As this celebration was bringing to conclusion Br Sayyane’s training to the priesthood here in Australia he is preparing to return to his homeland in Laos, where hopefully soon, he will be ordained a priest. There is no doubt that there is a big demand on priests in the poor diocese where he will be working but the real demand is for holy priests. It is a providential moment for Br Sayyane as very soon a group of the Oblates who were martyred some time ago in his homeland is going to be beatified. They have left big shoes for him to fill but they will also intercede for him as he is about to undertake the ministry among the people they loved so much that they chose to die rather than abandon them.
In his homily the Bishop encouraged Br Sayyane to model his ministry on what Jesus wants of him and not relying on the opinions he may encounter in the future.
As this celebration was bringing to conclusion Br Sayyane’s training to the priesthood here in Australia he is preparing to return to his homeland in Laos, where hopefully soon, he will be ordained a priest. There is no doubt that there is a big demand on priests in the poor diocese where he will be working but the real demand is for holy priests. It is a providential moment for Br Sayyane as very soon a group of the Oblates who were martyred some time ago in his homeland is going to be beatified. They have left big shoes for him to fill but they will also intercede for him as he is about to undertake the ministry among the people they loved so much that they chose to die rather than abandon them.
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