By God's grace, Joseph Budds will be ordained a priest by H. E. Bishop Fellay on June 16, 2023, at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Dillwyn, VA. He will celebrate his First Solemn Mass at St. Thomas More on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
First Mass at Sanford, FL
Sunday, June 25
9:30 am First Solemn High Mass
Blessing of the new priest
Banquet
Saint Thomas More will host a catered banquet to celebrate this grace-filled event! Please join the celebration in the Priory Gardens.
Cost: $16/person - $8 for children 10 and under.
To attend this banquet, please RSVP by June 11th to (619) 916-1301 or by email.
St. Thomas More Church
500 Riverview Ave
Sanford, FL
Phone: (407) 872-1007 | email: [email protected]
Plenary Indulgence
When a priest celebrates his First Mass after ordination, it is an opportunity for the faithful in attendance to gain a plenary indulgence if all the usual conditions are met (see conditions here). Holy Mother Church updated this tradition by granting a plenary indulgence to all first Masses the priest celebrates. The additional first Masses are sometimes called Masses of Thanksgiving.
First Blessing
Although not a plenary indulgence, an additional grace may be gained from receiving the first blessing of a newly ordained priest. First blessings are customarily given when first Masses are celebrated, but they may be given up to a full year after ordination. There is no set prayer for first blessings in the Rituále Románum, the official book of blessings.
One common form of blessing is as follows:
| Per impositiónem mánuum meárum sacerdotálium, et per intercessiónem beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis, et Sancti (Sanctæ)…, et ómnium Sanctórum; Benedíctio Dei Omnipoténtis, Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti, descéndat super te et máneat semper. Amen. | May, through the imposition of my hands and upon the intercession of Holy Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, Sts. N. (patron saint) and N. (of the priest’s choosing), the blessing of the Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come upon thee and remain with thee forever. Amen. |
The first blessings of a priest are generally given after the Mass. The faithful kneel at the communion rail to receive the blessing. Upon receiving it, the faithful kiss the palms of the newly ordained priest in recognition of the sacred character of his priesthood and of the hands that now hold the Eucharist and confer the sacraments.
