Newly Ordained Alumnus Returns, Offers Mass of Thanksgiving

Thomas Aquinas College’s  76^th alumnus priest — and the first ordained for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles — returned to the California campus Monday morning for a Mass of Thanksgiving. Just two days after his ordination at the hands of the Most Rev. José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Rev. Michael Masteller (’13) offered a morning Mass in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel.

“As Christians, we must experience that encouragement that God always wants to give us,” said Fr. Masteller in his homily. “If we experience, if we receive, this love and encouragement, what a joy it is to become a source of joy and encouragement for others in a world that is struggling, where there is a lot of darkness and confusion. What a great gift that we can give to the world, as Christians, to be a light, to be a source of encouragement and hope.”

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has posted several photos from Fr. Masteller’s Mass on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, including this wonderful shot of the new priest hugging his father — TAC General Counsel Quincy Masteller — after his ordination:

The Archdiocesan newspaper has also published a profile of Fr. Masteller, in which he describes the act of becoming a priest as a constant re-affirmation of God’s call, one that continues well beyond the moment of ordination. “It’s that continual saying ‘yes’ wherever the Lord wants to go in our life,” he tells Angelus News. “Saying ‘Yes, Lord, you can go here. Yes, Lord, you can bring your light to this dark area where I haven’t shown anyone, or I don't want to.’ ”

At the conclusion of Wednesday’s homecoming Mass, he offered blessings to members of the College community, including College President Michael F. McLean:

For his first assignment, Fr. Masteller will serve the faithful of Los Angeles as an associate pastor at St. Helen Catholic Church in South Gate.

Please keep him in in your prayers!