Bishop Donal McKeown's Homily at the Ordination of Father Stephen Baxter

In this homily, delivered at the ordination of Father Stephen Baxter to the priesthood for service in the Diocese of Derry, Bishop Donal McKeown reflects on the mission of the Church in today's world. 

Drawing on the Scripture readings, he speaks about reaching out to those who feel lost, burdened or without hope, proclaiming God's mercy and forgiveness, and building parish communities where clergy and laity work together in prayer, discernment and mission. Encouraging Fr Stephen to be a minister of reconciliation and hope, Bishop Donal offers a timely and challenging vision for the future of the Church and its mission in a society searching for meaning, belonging and community. 

Homily: Ordination of Rev Stephen Baxter

Sunday, 14 June 2026

This week has a good example of the sort of world into which Stephen Baxter is being ordained for priestly ministry. Last Saturday there was a very big National Rosary Rally in Knock, thousands of people gathered for prayer. On Tuesday, we celebrated the feast of our local and national patron Columba. Yesterday we had a very big lay-organised Eucharistic and Marian procession in this city from Creggan to the Gasyard. And today, as yet another Cursillo weekend finishes in Termonbacca, we celebrate the ordination of Stephen. But during the week we also saw awful pictures of rioting and destruction mainly in the Belfast area. Our world is colourful and confused, full of promise and threat. And the ordinary readings for this Sunday fit in perfectly with what we are celebrating here in at Columba's Church as Stephen steps forward to be ordained or priestly ministry in 2026 Derry.

What lessons do our scripture readings hold for us?

Our Gospel contains those well-known words about the harvest being rich but the labourers being few. But the rich harvest that Jesus is talking about is not primarily tall ripe crops ready for bringing into the barns without too much trouble. The rich harvest is those on whom Jesus took pity – those who were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Stephen, that is where Jesus was moved with pity, calling those who labour and are overburdened. To them he wanted to offer rest. And our society is going through a time of huge worry and fragmentation. The secular society promised heaven on earth through the exercise of free choice. It has ended up with a hell on earth for too many who suffer from poverty, mental and physical illness and a lack of meaning or belonging. And the world agenda seems to be dominated by a small clique of super rich. No wonder that many young people are crying out for a sense of direction, identity and community. Don't be overawed by that. Jesus explicitly sends the apostles to the lost sheep. He didn't tell his apostles to fuss over himself to themselves. His own mission was to the lost and he rallies others to join him specifically in that mission – and to be amazed at the rich harvest that will come there. In a time of change, there is a temptation to withdraw behind high walls and to seek comfortable certainty there. But the church is not a small holy huddle for the frightened. It is a missionary community that seeks out the lost and is prepares to be criticised for doing so. Be courageous, Stephen, find ways to reach out to the lost sheep in the parishes where you will work. A priest who is too concerned with himself is a counter witness.

And St Paul talks about the core of that message that you are undertaking to preach. You don't have to be good for God to love you. Paul in his own life knew the God who loves us while we are still sinners. Jesus constantly reached out to those who thought that they were trapped in sickness or disability – the lepers, the sinners. God in Jesus wants us to know that we are loved and lovable. It is that love of God on the Cross that you will celebrate each day in the Mass. That is the love of God revealed in the pierced Sacred Heart of Jesus that we celebrated last Friday. In Jesus we have been reconciled to God. We don't have to earn that; all we have to do is to accept that free gift. Stephen, constantly be on the search for ways to do that – from engaging with the hurting to regular celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Paul tells us that we have obtained our reconciliation in Jesus. Be a minister of that reconciliation. A parish without regular access to the sacrament of Reconciliation is starving people of a key way to celebrate reconciliation with God and with one another.

And our first reading is also important. In our rich sacramental tradition, the ordained minister has a unique and indispensable mission. But we are just one of the vocations in the holy nation, the divine kingdom of priests. It is through baptism that we all share in the risen life of Jesus. It is unhealthy when too much is expected of the priest, either by himself or by the parish communities. A parish without active lay participation in structures such as Parish Pastoral Councils and Finance Councils is working against the building of a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. It is not a question of fearing to trust lay people. It is a question of failing to trust the working of the Holy Spirit who is active in us together when we can prayerfully discern where God is leading and reforming us. Lay participation in the mission of the church is not just a response to changes in the numbers of clergy. Lay participation and leadership are part of who we are as living cells in the Body of Christ. In our lonely, confused world, build up parish communities who pray, discern and mission together. That is what St John Paul II called schools of prayer, promoting a spirituality of communion.

Stephen, you are being ordained at a time of renewal. Going forward into the unknown is not easy. Just as in the case of many young people now, you will have to deal with situations and new realities for which you have not been trained. There are various extreme agendas and narratives doing the rounds at present. They will want to pull you in different directions, to imprison you in their unbending certainties. Measure each initiative by how well it prioritises the mission to the harassed and dejected, by how clearly it proclaims the free gift of forgiveness given to those who are burdened – and by how actively it builds up the holy people of God where everyone is a first-born child of the Father and there are no second-class citizens. Avoid the pagan teaching that you must hate some people because they are portrayed as hating you. Find in prayer your still point in the midst of a changing world. Accept the love of God that has been given to you in Jesus and give it freely to others. Inspire other young men and women to dedicate their lives to being missionaries of mercy. The world that yearns for love and community, mercy and hope needs them more than ever.

Thank you for your openness to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Let Him lead you all the days of your life.

+ Donal