On three Saturdays over a 29-day span, more than three dozen men — 34 in all — will process down the center aisle at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis en route to the rarest of the seven sacraments — Holy Orders.
The ordinations will occur in front of the ordinands’ families and friends, seminarians, archdiocesan priests, visiting clergy, the St. Louis faithful and, most importantly, before God.
Archbishop Carlson described ordinations as “always a very powerful and spiritual experience,” adding that he “always prays that they work with the gifts they’ve been given and that God will give them the graces they need to be great priests and deacons.”
Ordination season kicks off with the ordination of transitional deacons. Archbishop Carlson calls the seven that were to have been ordained on Saturday, May 5, “an outstanding group.”
Three weeks later, on Saturday, May 26, Deacons Gerson Parra and Christopher Rubie will be ordained into the holy brotherhood of priests.
“Both are excellent candidates,” Archbishop Carlson said. “I think they’ll make great priests.”
Finally, on Saturday, June 2, Archbishop Carlson will ordain 25 men as permanent deacons, the largest ordination class in archdiocesan history. In 1985 and 1989, Archbishop John L. May ordained 24 men as permanent deacons.
In addition to the archdiocesan ordinations, the Jesuits, Dominicans and Benedictines have ordinations upcoming. Auxiliary Bishop Mark S. Rivituso will preside for the Dominicans and Benedictines.
It’s a busy but joyful season for Archbishop Carlson and Bishop Rivituso. In addition to the ordinations, they celebrate numerous confirmations, which allows them to visit just as many parishes and witness faith in action.
“I love the spring,” Archbishop Carlson said. “There’s no bishop alive who doesn’t like to do confirmations and especially doesn’t like to ordain.”
Archdiocesan ordination schedule
>> Transitional diaconate
When, where • 10 a.m. Saturday, May 5, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
Who • Andrew Auer, Samuel Inameti, Mark Madden, Anthony Ritter, Patrick Russell, Stephen Schumacher, George Staley
Ordaining Prelate • Archbishop Robert J. Carlson
>> Priesthood
When, where • 10 a.m. Saturday, May 26, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
Who • Deacon Gerson Parra, Deacon Christopher Rubie
Ordaining Prelate • Archbishop Robert J. Carlson
>> Permanent diaconate
When, where • 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
Who • Paul
Arthur, Michael Brancato, Joseph Brindley, James DeNatale, John DuFaux,
David Ewing, Scott Kaufman, Brian Knight, Kirk Lackas, Kurt Loeffler,
Randall Maune, Dennis Meinert, Timothy Michaelree, John Minicky, Steven
Moeller, John O’Hara, Matthew O’Neail, Manolo Rivera, Rick Rosenkoetter,
William Scarry, David Schaefer, Dan Schmitt, Lee Trani, Patrick
Wheadon, Trevor Wild
Ordaining Prelate • Archbishop Robert J. Carlson
Religious orders
>> Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
USA Central and Southern Province
Priesthood
When, where • 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 9, St. Francis Xavier College Church
Who • W. Penn Dawson, SJ; Jason LaLonde, SJ; David Paternostro, SJ; Michael Wegenka, SJ
Ordaining Prelate • Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ, Archdiocese of Ottawa (Canada)
Priesthood
When, where • 11a.m. Thursday, June 28, Parroquia San Ignacio de Loyola (St. Ignatius Loyola Parish) in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Who • Fernando Luis Barreto Mercado, SJ
Ordaining Prelate • Archbishop Roberto O. González Nieves, OFM, Archdiocese of San Juan
>> Order of Preachers (Dominicans)
Province of St. Albert the Great
Diaconate
When, where • 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19, St. Pius V Church
Who • Brent Anthony Bowen, OP; Brian John Zuelke, OP
Ordaining Prelate • Bishop Mark S. Rivituso, Archdiocese of St. Louis
Province of St. Martin de Porres
When, where • 10 a.m. Saturday, July 7, Holy Rosary Church, Houston
Who • Carl Joseph Paustian, OP (Priesthood); Nicholas Daniel Reynolds, OP (Diaconate)
Ordaining Prelate • Bishop David A. Konderla, Diocese of Tulsa
>> Order of St. Benedict (Benedictines)
Diaconate
When, where • 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, St. Louis Abbey
Who • Brother Athanasius Soto, OSB
Ordaining Prelate • Bishop Mark S. Rivituso, Archdiocese of St. Louis