And then there were also the many priests, permanent deacons, auxiliary bishops and seminarians of the archdiocese in attendance.
The newly ordained Fr. Bechill, 26, will continue at Divine Child Parish, Dearborn, where he did his service as a transitional deacon, but now as an associate pastor.
The ordination Mass took place, by Fr. Bechill’s request, on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and Archbishop Allen Vigneron took the Cross as the theme of his homily.
The archbishop spoke of the paradox by which the Cross, which had been a symbol of shame, became for Christians the symbol of hope and criterion for measuring our faithfulness.
“Have I obeyed His injunction that I must take up the Cross and follow Him? The Cross is the measure of our success or failure,” he said.
With his priestly ordination, Archbishop Vigneron continued, the new priest would be given a new mission by the Holy Spirit, and “immersed in the mystery of the Cross,” be given the strength to nurture the people he will serve.
And while he already has experience from his diaconal ministry in making the sign of the Cross at baptisms, he will now also use it in anointing the sick and absolving sins, the archbishop said.
In addition, the archbishop told him he will join with Jesus the High Priest in the work of “drawing all men to His heart.”
In his words of gratitude at the conclusion of the ceremony, Fr. Bechill began by quoting some of his favorite Scripture verses, and then expressed his thanks to the Holy Trinity, to the Blessed Virgin and all the saints, to Archbishop Vigneron, the clergy of the archdiocese, the leadership of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, his family and his friends, and the people of Divine Child Parish.
Fr. Bechill grew up in St. Isaac Jogues Parish, St. Clair Shores, during his early elementary school years before his family moved to
St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Algonac (now merged into Our Lady on the River Parish).
His parents, now retired, belong to Holy Rosary Parish in Cedar, in the Leelanau Peninsula, and remarked after the ceremony how surprised they were to see how many of their northern Michigan neighbors had made it to their son’s ordination.
Richard Bechill said about watching his son being ordained to the priesthood that his reaction was similar to his wife’s reaction to watching a wedding: “To be honest with you, I actually got choked up a couple of times. It’s been such a long journey for him, and I’m so happy for him.”
Rosemary Bechill said of the ceremony, “It was wonderful. As a mom, I’m finally seeing his dream come true.
It is a dream Fr. Bechill first told his parents about when he was in sixth grade, she said, adding, “He’s an amazing young man.”
His mother added that Fr. Bechill is very humble and a hard-worker, who pitches in to help without being asked.
Rick Bechill said he believes his son’s ability to stay calm in any situation and have a calming effect on others will be among the qualities that will make him an excellent priest.
