Fr. Gerardus' First Mass

Fr. Gerard Hauwert Jr, celebrated his first Mass on Saturday June 4^th, at the Fulton Sheen House of Formation.

The Mass was attended by the seminarians and novices of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, sisters and novices of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará, family members of the newly ordained, and members of the St. John Baptist de la Salle parish community.

During the homily, Fr. Gustavo Domenech, Rector of the Fulton Sheen House of Formation spoke about the priest as a “minister of the mercy of God” through the sacrament of penance.  After noting the demands and importance of administering the sacrament to others, he also emphasized the need for frequent confession among priests quoting Blessed John Paul II as saying, “The whole of priestly existence suffers an inexorable decline if by negligence or for some other reason he fails to receive the sacrament of penance at regular intervals and in a spirit of genuine faith and devotion. If a priest were no longer to go to confession or properly confess his sins, his priestly being and his priestly action would feel its effects very soon, and this would also be noticed by the community of which he was the pastor.” (Pastores Dabo Vobis)

After Mass, those in attendance participated in the traditional veneration of the hands.  Mass was followed by a reception in the parish hall.

We thank God for the priestly vocation of Fr. Gerard and for all the graces he has bestowed on our religious family since its inception in 1984.