The Reverend Father Aloysius Ryan Sarasin, O.S.B.’17, a member of the Saint Anselm monastic community, was ordained to the priesthood by The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, on Saturday, June 18, in the Saint Anselm Abbey Church.
The culmination of years of monastic formation and four years of seminary studies, Father Aloysius’ now takes his place in the Holy Priesthood of Jesus Christ.
Father Aloysius was presented for ordination by The Right Reverend Mark A. Cooper, O.S.B.’71, Abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey.
During the Rite of Ordination, Bishop Libasci offered words of instruction and encouragement: “My son, you are now to be advanced to the order of the presbyterate. You must apply your energies to the duty of teaching in the name of Christ, the chief Teacher. Share with all mankind the word of God you have received with joy. Meditate on the law of God, believe what you read, teach what you believer, and put into practice what you teach.”
Following the Litany of the Saints, the Laying on of Hands, and the Prayer of Ordination, Father Aloysius was invested with the priestly stole and chasuble by Abbot Mark Cooper, O.S.B.
Reflecting on his ordination, Father Aloysius noted, "After discerning priesthood for over half of my life, it is surreal and overwhelming to finally reach this day. I am eternally grateful to Almighty God for choosing me to serve Him and His Church as a monk and priest. I am also grateful for the years of continued support from my family, confreres, and friends. Around fifteen years ago, someone told me they thought I had a vocation to the priesthood. If it were not for that initial conversation, who knows if this day would have ever happened. If anyone reading this knows a young man who might have a vocation to the priesthood, please encourage him. Sometimes that initial push is all it takes to get the ball rolling!”
Father Aloysius completed his seminary studies by earning a Masters of Divinity at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Saint Meinrad, Indiana. The Rector of Saint Meinrad Seminary, The Very Reverend Denis Robinson, O.S.B., represented the seminary at the ordination. Brother Benjamin Brown, O.S.B., represented the monastic community of Saint Meinrad Archabbey. The Reverend Monsignor Richard Collette represented the Diocese of Worcester. Msgr. Collette baptized Father Aloysius on December 4, 1994. Monsignor Collette celebrates his Platinum Jubilee of Ordination on June 22, 2022.
On Sunday June 19, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Father Aloysius celebrated his first Mass of Thanksgiving in the Saint Anselm Abbey Church. The Reverend Father Zachary Samples, a newly ordained priest of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and Father Aloysius’ seminary classmate, served as the homilist.
Father Aloysius is a native of Leominster, Massachusetts. He is the son of Robert and Dianne Sarasin and was a parishioner of Saint Anthony de Padua Parish in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He graduated from Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts in 2013 and attended Saint Anselm College, graduating in 2017 with a degree in theology, and a minor in philosophy. He joined the monastic community at Saint Anselm in 2017. He professed Solemn Vows and was ordained a deacon in 2021. In August, he will begin full time work in the Saint Anselm College Office of Student Engagement and Leadership as Program and Club Sports Coordinator.