Bishop Jenky leads the applause after accepting Deacon Daniel McShane as a candidate for the priesthood during the Rite of Ordination on May 25 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

After being urged to model his ministry on the example of Jesus the Good Shepherd as well as local and global heroes of the Catholic faith, Father Daniel McShane was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria during a solemn Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria on May 25.

“Carry out the ministry of Christ the priest with constant joy and genuine love, attending not to your own concerns but to those of the Lord and all those you serve,” said Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, in an instruction during the Rite of Ordination.

Bishop Jenky lays hands on the head of Deacon McShane during the Rite of Ordination. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Father McShane, 29, is the son of John and Diane McShane, members of Holy Family Parish in Lincoln. He celebrated his first Mass at the Lincoln church the following morning.

Effective June 12, Father McShane will begin his first assignment as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish in Monmouth and St. Patrick Parish in Raritan. In addition, he will serve as chaplain of the St. Augustine Newman Club at Monmouth College.

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RELATED STORY: Father McShane’s parents describe him as kind, joyful, generous

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“OUR DIOCESE IS ESPECIALLY HAPPY”

The cathedral was filled with people, joy and music on ordination day. Three choirs were present, including the St. Anthony Camerata Festival Choir, directed by Mary Ann Fahey-Darling; the school choir from Immaculate Conception in Monmouth as well as several high school and adult singers from the parish, directed by Alisa and Leo Ramer; and the Cathedral Schola, directed by Jon Kroepel and accompanied by guest organist R. Monte Bennett.

Deacon McShane entered the cathedral near the front of a lengthy procession that included servers, seminarians, permanent deacons and priests from around the diocese. Accompanied by Msgr. Jason Gray, he took a place ahead of the front pew where his parents and other family members were seated.

In opening remarks, Bishop Jenky noted the celebration took place during the joy of the Easter season, but added “our diocese is especially happy today since we assemble for the ordination of Daniel McShane.”

Deacon McShane was presented to Bishop Jenky by Father Patrick Henehan, diocesan vocation director of formation. When the bishop formally accepted him for the Order of the Priesthood, the assembly responded with sustained applause.

RITE OF ORDINATION

Bishop Jenky’s instruction followed, including a description of the various duties of the priesthood. The bishop urged Deacon McShane to meditate on God’s word and law, and “believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”

Deacon McShane prostrates himself on the cathedral sanctuary floor as the assembly chants the Litany of the Saints. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

While emphasizing that priests are configured to Christ, Bishop Jenky held up the virtues of several holy men and women for Father McShane to emulate, including “the generosity of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, the patron saint of all parish priests; the missionary zeal of Pere Marquette; the heroic witness of Gabriel de la Ribourde, protomartyr of Illinois; the determined energy of John Lancaster Spalding, our founding bishop; the manifest holiness of the Venerable Servant of God Fulton Sheen; and the wonderful example of so many priest-heroes who came before you and labored so hard to build up the holy Church of Peoria.”

The bishop also suggested the new priest remain close to “heavenly heroes” including St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Joseph the Worker, and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception.

The Rite of Ordination then continued with Deacon McShane making a series of promises to the bishop. He then prostrated himself on the sanctuary floor for seven minutes as the assembly was led in the singing of the Litany of the Saints — calling upon all saints to intercede on the candidate’s behalf as he approaches the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Next came the ancient symbol of the laying on of the hands. First the bishop, then all priests present, prayed in silence as one by one they placed their hands on Deacon McShane’s head.

Bishop Jenky claimed the first blessing of newly ordained Father Daniel McShane. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Bishop Jenky then offered the prayer of consecration, and the new priest was then assisted in putting on priestly vestments by Father Daniel Scheidt. A priest of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Father Scheidt was chaplain at Marian High School in Mishawaka when Father McShane was a student there and first began considering the priesthood.

Father McShane’s hands were then anointed with Sacred Chrism, and the offertory gifts were carried forward by his parents. After embraces of peace by the bishop and all priests present, Father McShane concelebrated the Liturgy of the Eucharist with Bishop Jenky and the more than 100 priests who gathered around the altar.

The Mass concluded with Father McShane giving Bishop Jenky his first blessing, and then both of them blessing the assembly. The newly ordained Father McShane offered many individual blessings to families and friends at a reception that followed at the Spalding Pastoral Center.

EDITOR’S NOTE: More photos from the Ordination Mass and reception have been posted to The Catholic Post’s site on Facebook.