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June 18, 2006 Father Daniel J. Letourneau
By Ray Dyer OKLAHOMA CITY — Family and friends lined up to congratulate Father Daniel James Letourneau and receive a blessing from the newly ordained priest following his Ordination Mass at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The June 2 Mass was clearly a celebration of faith and joy as the faithful in attendance applauded numerous times, especially when it came time to exchange the Sign of Peace. The newly ordained Father Letourneau tossed aside the traditional handshake and greeted several of his brother priests with bear hugs. Applause rang out several times in response to this gesture of love and solidarity. A resounding wave of applause erupted after Father Lowell Stieferman, Archdiocesan Director of Vocations, addressing Archbishop Eusebius Beltran, recommended then Deacon Letourneau for ordination to the priesthood. The archbishop responded: “Relying on the help of the Lord God our Savior, Jesus Christ, we choose Daniel, our brother, for the Order of the priesthood.” Moments later, in his homily, Archbishop Beltran provided insight into the joyful greeting between the newly ordained Father Letourneau and several fellow priests. “I thank all the priests here tonight,” the archbishop said. “Many of you have directly assisted Dan in the discernment of his vocation and in his six years of formation. All of you have prayed for him and led your own congregations to do the same. Priests of this Archdiocese, you have now expressed your enthusiasm in welcoming Dan into the presbyterate.” Father John Michlicka and Father John Metzinger vested the newly ordained priest. Father Michalicka is pastor at Church of Saint Mary in Ponca City where Father Letourneau grew up, attended school and became an altar server. His parents, Lloyd and Delores Letourneau are members of the parish, living only a block from the church. Father Metzinger serves as pastor at Saint John the Baptist Parish in Edmond where Father Letourneau would worship as a young adult and where he has been assigned as associate pastor. Father Letourneau celebrated his first Mass at Saint John the Baptist the day after his ordination. That his father was there to witness the Mass was made even more special considering what happened near the end of the Ordination Mass the day before. Lloyd Letourneau was feeling faint inside the Cathedral. Near the end of Mass he stepped outside for some air and collapsed. At first, it was believed the emotion combined with the thick humidity that painted the air that evening were the culprits behind the collapse, but after paramedics delivered Mr. Letourneau to Saint Anthony Hospital it was learned he was in need of a pacemaker. “He had been saying he hadn’t felt very well for several weeks,” Father Letourneau said. “The cardiologist said it was a blessing that this happened at the Cathedral. He could have been out mowing the yard at home and might not have been found.” Mr. Letourneau was stabilized and on Saturday he was released from the hospital in time to make the first Mass celebrated by his son at Saint John the Baptist. He then returned to Saint Anthony Hospital. On Sunday, Father Letourneau traveled to Church of Saint Mary to celebrate his second Mass. He called it a beautiful celebration and was happy his sisters as well as his aunt and uncle from Kansas were able to attend. He then returned to Oklahoma City to be with his father. On Monday, at Saint Anthony Hospital, before the pacemaker was implanted, Father Letourneau celebrated another first, the anointing of the sick; for his own father. “I said I’ve never done this before and someone said just do it the way you were taught. It was very beautiful.” Father Letourneau said the opportunity to celebrate Mass in the chapel at the hospital was another blessing. The Mass is broadcast throughout the hospital. “I asked everyone to wave to my father.” Father Letourneau is staying in Ponca City for a few days with his parents and sisters and will celebrate Mass at Church of Saint Mary with Father Michalicka and Father Kirk Larkin, the associate pastor at the parish. |
