See Fr. Lyons' Certificate of Ordination to the Priesthood.

Fr. Lyons entered the priesthood in the Melchite Rite which allows a married man to become a priest.  Fr. Lyons' wife and eldest son were present for his ordination. Pope Pius XIII has given dual rites, Latin and Melchite, to Fr. Lyons so that the newly ordained can say Mass and administer the sacraments in the Latin Rite. 

The photos below record selected parts of the rite of ordination to the priesthood bestowed onto Fr. Robert Lyons. 
 

The Prostration and the Litany of the Saints  In the touching ceremony of the prostration, the ordinand prostrates himself on the floor of the sanctuary, as a sign of his unworthiness and need of divine assistance. The pope kneels at the faldstool; all others who assist kneel in their places. The pope recites the Litany of the Saints.  The whole Church Triumphant is called upon to intercede with God that He may give worthy ministers to the Church Militant.

 
 

The most solemn moment of the rite of ordination has now arrived, the moment in which that wonderful transformation takes place in the soul of the ordinand, which makes him "Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech." The pope imposes both his hands upon the ordinand without saying any prayer; then the pope raises his right hand extended over the candidate. All is hushed in silence - it is as if the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit comes down in visible form to take possession of His elect: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me" (Is. 61, 1).

The Imposition of Hands The Bestowal of the Office

 
 

The Anointing of the Hands of the Priest Holy oil was used extensively in the liturgical functions of the Old Testament. It is fitting, therefore, that the Catholic priest, the "other Christ," should also be anointed. The anointing symbolizes the dedication of a person to the service of God, and the bestowal of grace.

 
 

By the preceding rite of the Imposition of Hands the candidate has been made a priest and possesses all priestly powers. But the power to celebrate Mass, to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is such a tremendous, awe-inspiring power that a special rite is employed to express its bestowal and to bring more fully into realization what has been received.   The ordained again approaches the pope and kneels before him. A chalice containing wine and water, and the paten with a host lying on it, is presented; whereupon the ordained takes the paten between the index and the middle finger, touching with the index finger the paten and host and with the middle finger the cup of the chalice.

Bestowal of the Power to Offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

 

Offertory  At the offertory of the Mass, Fr. Lyons offers the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Consecration

At the Consecration of the Mass, the priest says the words which Our Lord used at the Last Supper: "For this is My Body" and "For this is the Chalice of My Blood, of the new and eternal testament: the mystery of faith: which shall be shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins."  This is the same sacrifice as Calvary.  The Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ is now present on the altar, under the appearances of bread and wine.

Blessing  All kneel as the newly-ordained  priest gives his first blessing.   "Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater, et Filius + et Spiritus Sanctus."

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