Newly ordained Father Kenneth Parsad offers Thanksgiving Mass

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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Father Kenneth Parsad presides at the June 14 Mass of Thanksgiving at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Sandy.

SANDY — On June 14, the day after he was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of the Madeline, Father Kenneth Parsad presided at the first of several Masses of Thanksgiving. Concelebrating the Mass at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Sandy were several of Fr. Parsad’s priest friends from across the country. 

In his homily, Fr. Parsad reflected on the readings, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 and Matthew 5:33-37. 

“God the Father makes Jesus to be a sin offering to substitute for our sins so that we might be reconciled to God,” he said. “The whole world should be reconciled to God through Jesus. This is one of the great actions of Jesus, to reconcile so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”

He went on to reflect on his ordination the previous evening, particularly to Bishop Oscar A. Solis using the term “bridge builder” in his homily.

“So Jesus is a builder, a bridge builder, a reconciler,” Fr. Parsad said. “He brings people together and brings them back to God. The priesthood is for this, working for the task of reconciling people together and helping people today. So please help me pray that this will never get lost as I begin this personal ministry.”

This is not an easy task, but with God’s grace and the help and prayers of the faithful he will succeed in his ministry, he said, adding that he purposely chose the votive Mass in honor of the Virgin Mary for his Thanksgiving Mass “because I firmly believe that there’s no better way to be in the ministry of the priesthood other than invoking the power and power of our life.”

Saturdays are traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At the end of the Mass, Fr. Parsad expressed gratitude to the congregation and his family members, including his mother Agnes and his siblings. 

Sharing the story of Pope John XXIII being carried by the people in a “sedia gestatoria,” or papal sedan chair that reminded the Holy Father of being carried on his father’s shoulders, Fr. Parsad said, “He realized that his whole life had been about letting other people carry him to God. I believe that the secret in life is that –  to let yourself be carried by others to God. … I can also say that my life has been about being carried by others to God. Each one of you here has carried me in different ways, in different periods of my life. So I sincerely say thank you to each one of you.”

He thanked by name several of his brother priests, family members and others, and also expressed appreciation to the Filipino community in Utah for their support.

“You have welcomed me warmly, so I hope I can be of service to you whatever I can, so just let me know,” he said. “I prayed for each one of you. Thank you for carrying me to God. I hope to do the same as to carry the people of God, this time, uniquely in this life of the priesthood again. Thank you so much. God bless you.”