Four men were ordained for the archdiocese May 7
Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski ordained Jacob Braun, Joshua Deters, Ryan Quarnstrom and Jacob Wessel to the transitional diaconate May 7 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
The men now enter their final year of formation before ordination to the priesthood. They also enter into the clerical state, and with that comes three promises that are made for the first time: obedience to the bishop, celibacy for the sake of God’s Kingdom and an obligation to pray daily the Liturgy of the Hours.
The four said they are looking forward to their roles as transitional deacons, being witnesses to Christ and bringing others closer to Him through their ministerial service to the Church. They see a familiarity with the story of the resurrection, where St. Mary Magdalen, upon seeing Christ, runs to tell others that she has seen the risen Lord.
“In prayer, my response to my vocation has been that same proclamation. That’s our answer: Because I have seen the Lord. He has been faithful and provided the grace, strength and courage” to respond to His call to the priesthood, said Deacon Ryan Quarnstrom.
“I think about us proclaiming the Gospel and it being boiled down to that simple truth: I have seen Jesus, and I want you to see Him too,” he said. “Because it changes everything.”
Upon ordination, the transitional deacons will be given assignments to assist at parishes in the archdiocese. As deacons, they will be given faculties to preach, so writing homilies during the week will become a new part of the routine. Transitional deacons also become more involved in sacramental-related activities, including marriage prep, RCIA formation, burials and baptisms.
