Deacon Paul Spotts ordained a priest at St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic parish in Frackville, PA
On the feast of Dormition the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia received a new priest: at St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic parish in Frackville, PA, metropolitan Borys Gudziak ordained Fr. Paul Spotts who served as a Deacon in the Archeparchy since 2009.
In his homily metropolitan Borys Gudziak explained the significance of the Feast of Dormition of the Mother of God who was the sign of God's love to humanity. He noted “Today, we celebrate her Dormition - out of love, in love, for love, through love - and as a Church, we call one of our own. There's a need. Who do you call here, in Frackville, in the South Anthracite Deanery? You call Paul Spotts. Paul, come on down. It's time.”
Metropolitan Borys thanked Fr. Paul for his service to the Church as a layman and Deacon. He mentioned that the priesthood is not a personal choice, it is a call, it's a vocation. The Archbishop asked the newly ordained priest to be a sign of God’s love. “In this time of fragmentation, alienation, and loneliness the Church is calling you today to the central thing - to God's love. That you always receive that love and that you share that love with the people. God is love. The priesthood is for love. So, as you begin your priesthood, we commend to you, dear brother Paul, the mother of God, who was so pure in her reception of God's love. May you live in God's love, for God's love, through God's love”.
The metropolitan asked priests and parishioners to support Fr. Paul in his ministry.
Fr. Paul is 61, has six children and he works in informational technology at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. He called himself an oxymoron. “I am the youngest, most recent priest ordained, but I am the oldest priest ordained in the Archeparchy. Truly, God is great. It is God's plan for me to be in the priesthood and His glory was shown here today by the laying on of the hands of Archbishop Borys”, he said in a brief address at the end of Divine Liturgy.
He addressed the priests, especially the priests of South Anthracite Deanery “You are a stellar example, and you led me on this journey. I look forward to being with you for a long time”. With words of gratitude, he also spoke to his family – wife Donna, six children with their spouses, grandchildren, in-laws, sister, and all the Spotts family “You have been there with me on this journey too, and the best is yet to come”.
