Fr. Steven Gaudet

ALEXANDRIA--It is with great joy that we announce the priestly ordination of Steven Gaudet. Archbishop Marcel Damphousse, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ottawa-Cornwall, ordained the Reverend Steven Gaudet at a special Mass August 4th, at St. Finnan’s Basilica. The celebration, which took place on the feast of Saint John Vianney the patron of parish priests, was the archdiocese’s second priestly ordination in the past six weeks.
 
Despite the ongoing Covid restrictions, family members, friends and members of the clergy were able to attend the ninety minute Mass, which was also live streamed. Archbishop Marcel welcomed the congregation with these words, “This has been a blessed day. The morning started off in Tokyo with a gold medal in track and field. But tonight we are celebrating something a lot more precious than gold, the gift of priesthood to the Church.”
 
“This daunting call to the priesthood makes many of us shake in our boots, makes us feel very unworthy, makes us feel like we will never be ready for the moment we will be ordained. I’m a bishop and I don’t feel ready some mornings,” the archbishop said in his homily. “What has been entrusted to us is so beyond ourselves and that is what is key here. It is the Lord who calls and it is the Lord who gifts us, who graces us in such a way that we may be His instruments of love of mercy.”
 
Father Steven, whose first priestly assignment will be assistant pastor at Divine Infant Catholic Church in Orleans, served as transitional deacon for the last year. His ministry has included baptizing, assisting at marriages and preaching at Mass. He graduated in the fall of 2020 from St. Peter’s Seminary (London), after eight years of formation for the priesthood.