Written by Peter Finney Jr. 
An Ordination Mass is special in its own right, particularly when five men are ordained as priests for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
But as newly ordained Fathers Colin Braud, Travis Clark, Gary Copping, Daniel Green and Jonathan Hemelt joined Archbishop Gregory Aymond around the altar at St. Louis Cathedral June 1 for the eucharistic prayer, the cathedral’s smoke alarm, triggered by the thick cloud of celebratory incense from the archbishop’s thurifer, provided a blaring sound not many have heard inside the cathedral.
Undaunted, Archbishop Aymond continued with the preface, and the emergency announcement stopped after about 30 seconds and a few hastily opened doors. But before the final blessing, Archbishop Aymond told the standing-room-only congregation that the smoke alarm was a teachable moment.
“I think this was the first time we’ve ever had a fire drill during an ordination,” Archbishop Aymond said, eliciting laughter from the congregation. “Some of you may think it was because of the incense, but I think it’s because the newly ordained are just on fire for the Lord. In fact, I think we should have a fire drill at every ordination.”
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