Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, ordained Father David Sabel and Father Adam Stimpson on May 23 in a liturgy overflowing with prayer, incense and pure joy from the newly ordained and their family, friends and well wishers who filled St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria.

Even Msgr. Stanley Deptula, director of the diocesan Office of Divine Worship, noted that he had never seen the choir loft quite so full as it was that day, with members of the Cathedral Schola, the choir from Immaculate Conception Parish in Monmouth and the Pontifical Brass taking every available seat.

After Mass, those present gathered at the new Spalding Pastoral Center, where they greeted Father Sabel and Father Stimpson, received blessings and visited over refreshments.

“We have many reasons to shout out ‘Alleluia!’ today,” said Bishop Jenky at the beginning of Mass. “This is the Easter season and Christ is resurrected — he is truly risen.

“And today we are ordaining two new priests of the New Testament,” he said.

After calling the ordinandi forward and receiving the assurance of Father Brian Brownsey, director of the diocesan Office of Priestly Vocations, that he had found them to be worthy, Bishop Jenky accepted them for ordination.

“Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose these, our brothers for the order of priesthood,” he said.

Father Sabel and Father Stimpson beamed as those assembled filled the cathedral with applause.

In his homily, the bishop encouraged them to share with everyone the word of God they had received with joy.

“Meditate on the law of God,” he said. “Believe what you read, teach what you believe and put into practice what you teach.”