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Friar or Father for new
priest
St. Thomas More graduate receives sacrament of holy orders
BRENT MATTSON, The BC CATHOLIC
May 20, 2011
 VANCOUVER--In
the presence of family, friends, and brother priests, Father
Jean-Pierre Ducharme, OFM, received his priestly ordination from
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, at Holy Rosary Cathedral May 14.
Photo: Father Pierre
Ducharme, OFM offers blessing to his parents, Roger and Darlene
Ducharme.
"Our hearts are full of gratitude and praise to God that He has
chosen this man to be a priest of Jesus Christ," Archbishop Miller
said in his homily. "The Church is counting on you to preach the
Word with humility, with that keen awareness that everything good we
do is a gift of God, given for His kingdom of God."
The friar, a member of the Order of Franciscans Minor, now a priest
as well as a religious brother, cautions against getting too hung up
over whether to call him Father or Friar.
"Honestly, I'm not big on titles," Father Ducharme said the day
after his ordination. "I understand if people of God want to call me
Father, but I really feel a strong sense that I am a Franciscan
brother above anything else. We are friars first, and those of us
who are ordained are ordained ministers second."
The Knights of Columbus stood guard during the procession, which
included a number of priests from inside and outside the diocese,
including Father John McCarthy, SJ, chaplain at Corpus Christi
College. He represented one of Father Ducharme's alma maters.
The pews were packed with friends and members of Father Ducharme's
family, which includes 10 siblings and 35 nieces and nephews.
At the end of the Mass, the newly ordained Father Ducharme took a
moment to thank those who had inspired his vocation. He thanked his
parents for being "remarkable models of Christ" and the Franciscans
for reminding "me of how minor I am in the grand scheme of things."
Father Pierre said that the Franciscans Minor are also known as the
Lesser Brothers, and therefore felt the need to also thank his
siblings for preparing him for his vocation.
"Being the ninth of 11 kids, I learned how to be a lesser brother,
and if you knew my brothers and sisters, you would understand it."
The day after his ordination, Father Ducharme celebrated his first
Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Mission. He has a special connection
to the parish, because when he was growing up his family used to
spend summers in Mission and would attend Mass at St. Joseph's.
"It's a part of my history," he said. It was nice to celebrate my
first Mass there."
After a few weeks of vacation Father Ducharme will return to the
Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre for the Franciscans of Western
Canada in Cochrane, Alta., where he is the vicar, as well as
director of formation and vocations.
He will also be filling in at parishes.
"I could be travelling western Canada for holidaying pastors, and
getting to know people of God throughout western Canada," he said.
"It will certainly help me in my vocation ministry."
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