By Hannah Gordon
Czech Correspondent
Ross Chamberland, O.F.M., welcomed the new semester at St. Bonaventure University as an ordained priest.
Father Ross, director of the Lateran Center, was ordained a priest Jan. 3 at 11:00 a.m. during Mass at St. Anthony Shrine in Boston.
This wasn’t a decision, Father Ross said, but a calling.
“I felt called to the priesthood, as well as being called to the Franciscan life,” Father Ross said. “It’s a vocation inside of a vocation.”
Father Ross entered the Franciscan community in August 2005.
“I was a high school teacher, and I came to know the Friars through the work they did in the inner city,” Father Ross said. “I was very interested in their life, since they all were so fun to be around. Eventually they invited me to consider joining, and I did. I have never regretted it.”
Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., attended the Tie of Presbyteral Ordination of Brothers Ross and Jeffery Jordan, O.F.M.
Father Jeffery also taught at Bonaventure, but ended his year of ministry after the spring 2014 semester. He taught an introductory course examining the sacred texts of Hebrew, Islam and Christianity. He also preached and provided music for Mass. Father Jeffery spent the first semester of this year studying for his doctorate degree in Rome, Italy.
They professed their vows as Franciscan friars last August, committing to live by the Rule of St. Francis, who founded the more than 800-year-old Order of Friars Minor. Father Ross said that although he’ll have new responsibilities as a friar, his job at St. Bonaventure will not change much.
“I would imagine that now I will participate as a presider at liturgies, hearing confessions, etc.,” Father Ross said. “My job remains the same in many ways; however now there will be some additional responsibilities that come with being ordained to the priesthood. These mostly would involve sacraments.”
With the shift of responsibilities comes a shift in perspective for Father Ross.
“This means, to me, that I have turned the page in my life as a Christian,” Father Ross said. “This has been a 10-year journey towards the priesthood, along the friar path. I’m very excited to serve the church and the Franciscan Order as an ordained friar.”
