Father Erik Lenhart, an administrative Capuchin priest in White Plains, served as principal celebrant and homilist during this month’s Young Adult Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
In his homily, Father Lenhart explained that while at a First Communion party the previous Saturday, he thanked Leo, a boy who had just received his First Communion, for being a great party host. And little Leo told him that he is a good host because he received the Eucharist.
“This kid gets it. Leo gets it. The goodness that comes out of us is God’s goodness given to us. It’s a good reminder; all our goodness comes from the Lord,” said Father Lenhart, who is based at the St. Conrad Friary in White Plains. The priest serves as the vocation director for the province and as chaplain and director of Capuchin Family Ministries.
The vine and the branches
Later in the homily, Father Lenhart elaborated on his message about goodness coming from the Lord. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Remain in me as I remain in you,” the priest said in alluding to the day’s Gospel reading from John 15. He noted that the word “remain” appears 11 times in the reading, including the versicle before the Gospel.
“Remain, it’s a good word for us. ‘I am the vine and you are the branches. Remain in me as I remain in you.’ Sometimes we can put ourselves into things that don’t remain, that don’t last…things that are not of eternal consequence. Many people thought Caesar had power that would remain.”
Father Lenhart added, “Jesus had disciples who became the Church that we belong to; and here we are in the 2,026th Easter. And now Jesus has billions of disciples who remain in him, living and dead, the Kingdom eternal, and those of us on earth making our way into that Kingdom.” And the priest reiterated the words of Christ: “‘I am the vine and you are the branches; remain in me as I remain in you, and you will bear much fruit.’ Praise be Jesus Christ; now and forever.”
At the end of Mass, words of gratitude were offered by Pjetër Nilaj, director of the archdiocesan Office of Youth Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, and the University Apostolate, which organizes the monthly Young Adult Mass at the cathedral. A Holy Hour prayer service preceded the Mass. A social gathering followed the liturgy at nearby Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant. About 200 people attended the Mass, including members of the general public. Singer-guitarist Elena Castello provided inspirational praise music.
Susana Florencio, 27, was among the young adults who attended the Mass. She is a parishioner of St. Patrick’s/St. Mary’s Parish in Newburgh.
“This is my first time at this Mass. I read about it in the newsletter,” Florencio told The Good Newsroom, before joining others near the sanctuary steps, a group about to walk to the social gathering. “I’ve been wanting to get closer to God through community, and I ended up here,” she said with a smile. She noted she appreciated the homily message, saying, “It was powerful…In my current faith journey, I am doing my best to remain in Him.”
About the celebrant
Capuchin Family Ministries was Father Lenhart’s first encounter with the Capuchins, when he was a cadet at West Point (U.S. Military Academy). He was a Cap Corps volunteer in 2003–04 and joined the order in 2008. He was ordained in 2015 after finishing studies at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.
Before his appointment as chaplain at CFM, he served as parochial vicar at St. Pius X Parish in Middletown, Conn. He has taught preaching to candidates for the permanent diaconate at St. Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, and moral theology at Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Conn.