The path to priesthood is an extraordinary journey, filled with dedication, commitment, and devotion. For a seminarian, ordination to the diaconate marks the last major step before ordination to the priesthood. This year, thirteen Sacred Heart seminarians from five dioceses and two religious communities will take this profound step forward in their vocation. The Sacred Heart community is grateful that the Holy Spirit would call these men to serve the Church. Their unwavering commitment to their faith and fidelity to grace is truly inspirational.
Join us in congratulating and praying for these men as they continue their sacred path towards priesthood, serving their communities with love, compassion, and devotion. Here, some of our seminarians have shared what they eagerly anticipate in their new roles as deacons and reflect on how Sacred Heart has prepared them to respond to this profound calling.
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Stephen Moening, Archdiocese of Detroit
I am most looking forward to baptizing little ones. There is so much joy and excitement surrounding the sacrament of baptism, both from the family and the Church as a whole. To claim someone for Jesus, to destroy sin in their life, and give them the gift of grace is an amazing gift of ministry.
I entered the seminary as a 19-year-old and the seminary walked with me for these past years, helping me mature in every area of my life. At the heart of it, I have grown in trusting in our heavenly Father.
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Nicholas Brown, Archdiocese of Detroit
I look forward to blessing people in both ordinary and extraordinary ways, and I especially look forward to baptizing people. I also look forward to the small daily changes being a deacon will bring, such as being able to bless food or rosaries.
Sacred Heart has formed me for this upcoming year of ministry through living in a community of men preparing for the priesthood for the last five years. It has pushed me to live a holier life and continues to inspire me to live better.
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Phuc Ngo, Archdiocese of Detroit
I am looking forward to being in a deeper relationship with Christ and his Church. With God’s grace, I look forward to serving the Church as a minister with the ability to celebrate certain sacraments proper to the office of a deacon.
Sacred Heart has formed us to adapt quickly to new environments by having a daily schedule that is structured to help us to be more rooted in Christ. As long as we stay faithful and trust in Christ, I think we will do well in this upcoming year of ministry.
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Colin Lane, Archdiocese of Hartford
Following my ordination, I’m most looking forward to having the opportunity and privilege to preach at Mass. I hope to be able to break open the Scriptures for and with God’s people, and to help them encounter the Word of God as it truly is: a living Word which has contemporary relevance for us, and through which God desires to daily encounter and speak to each one of us.
Sacred Heart has prepared me for this upcoming year of ministry by forming to be a man—and soon, a deacon—after the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I’ve encountered and experienced the depths of God’s goodness, love, and mercy in new and profound ways and it is these truths, about God’s goodness and the overflowing love and mercy that he shows to each one of us through Jesus his Son, that I hope to now share with his people in my ministry as a deacon.
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Andrew Schmidt, Diocese of Kalamazoo
I’m looking forward to so many things as a deacon! I will be blessed with the opportunity, and great responsibility, to preach in the Mass. Beyond this, I am planning to go to Guadalajara this summer for a Spanish immersion experience. I know the Lord has great things planned, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store!
Sacred Heart has offered to us seminarians a wide variety of experiences to show us needed areas of growth, as well as places where we need greater trust in the Lord. Whether I was preparing to preach a homily to my homiletics class, practicing the rites of the funeral liturgy, or evangelizing on a college campus, I’ve become more convinced of my need to rely on God in unfamiliar situations, and I think it’s safe to say that one or two unfamiliar situations might arise in my ministry as a deacon!
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Riley O'Shea, Diocese of Lansing
I am really looking forward to preaching as a deacon. Once we are ordained, we will be equipped with the grace of holy orders to be God’s instruments to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a world desperately in need of his love and mercy.
Seminary has confirmed my call to the priesthood that I was discerning before coming to Sacred Heart Major Seminary. I have come to a deeper realization that my vocation is a gift from God; a gift that I, in turn, get to return to him with the gift of my life.
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Br. Joseph Spears, Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity
I am looking forward to serving God's people through the ministry of the Church, especially within baptisms and serving at the altar. I'm excited to share in the joy of families as they bring their kids to be cleansed in the waters of baptism.
I feel like Sacred Heart has formed me well for this ministry through a lot of guidance and resources in preparation. I am certain that things will arise which I will feel unprepared for, however, that seems to be part of the adventure and beauty of ministry as we move forward in our vocation.
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Zach Glick, Archdiocese for the Military Services, Diocese of Gary
I am looking forward to transitioning from preparing to enter into a permanent commitment to God to actually living out this perpetual, singular relationship with him. I am particularly looking forward to assisting at the Holy Mass as a deacon and to helping people grow as disciples of Christ.
Sacred Heart has formed me for this upcoming year of ministry by giving me a model for the priesthood and the diaconate, providing excellent intellectual formation, and emphasizing the importance of prayer and relationship with God.
Find a list of the ordination information for each diocese below:
Archdiocese of Detroit
- Date: April 15, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Robert J. Fisher
- Watch the livestream
Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit
- Date: April 15, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Robert J. Fisher
- Watch the livestream
Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity
- Date: April 15, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Robert J. Fisher
- Watch the livestream
Diocese of Lansing
- Date: May 13, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Earl Boyea
- Watch the livestream
Archdiocese of Hartford
- Date: May 20, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Juan Miguel Betancourt, SEMV.
- Watch the livestream
Diocese of Gary
- Date: June 3, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Robert McClory
- Watch the livestream