First days are always nerve-wracking — even when you have been preparing for years.

Father Jacob Wessel could feel the nerves swelling as he approached the Liturgy of the Eucharist during his first Sunday Mass at Ste. Genevieve Parish in Ste. Genevieve. But nine years of seminary formation kicked in for the newly ordained priest, who began his first assignment as associate pastor of Ste. Genevieve Parish, Sacred Heart Parish in Ozora and Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Weingarten on July 1.

“It’s surreal being a priest in some ways,” Father Wessel said. “Especially during Mass, especially during the consecration when I realize that this is Jesus in my hands now, and it wasn’t a minute ago.”

On Monday, July 3, he rose early to kick off his first week in his new role, finding ways inside and outside the parish walls to walk — or run — alongside the people entrusted to his care.

A strong start

6:06 a.m.

As the sun crept over the rolling hills, Father Wessel met the Valle Catholic High School cross country team in the high school’s weight room. The team stretched and then set out on a brisk 4-mile jog through the riverfront town.

On the run, Father Wessel struck up conversations. He got to know several members of the team last season while serving as a transitional deacon at Ste. Genevieve, joining the team every few days to spend time with the high schoolers and get some exercise.

7:48 a.m.

After trading his running clothes for his cassock, Father Wessel entered the sacristy to vest and finish preparations for daily Mass.

“Today, the feast of the apostle St. Thomas, is an especially great time to pray for the Church and her leaders,” Father Wessel said in the homily. “Let us follow St. Thomas’ example of bringing his problems and sufferings to Christ and speaking bluntly to Him in the Eucharist.”

After Mass, Father Wessel huddled over the sacristy workbench to show sacristan Larry Basler a “priest hack”: using a small metal lid to serrate the unconsecrated host so it breaks apart easier. Basler laughed, commenting that even though he “has been around as long as the pews,” he still learns new tricks.

Debra Donze, a parishioner at St. Agnes in Bloomsdale, stopped Father Wessel on his way out to introduce her daughter, Sister Bernadette Marie, who was home visiting before moving to the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia’s convent in Scotland.

The trio exchanged stories about their respective vocations and the joy they found in serving. Before the mother and daughter departed, they asked for Father Wessel’s first blessing, a longstanding Church tradition that grants special graces to people who receive a blessing from a priest within his first year of ministry.

9:14 a.m.

Firing up his Ram pickup truck, Father Wessel drove to the Country Mart grocery store. For the past two days, he ate whatever was in the rectory fridge. Now that he was unpacked, it was time to go grocery shopping for staples.

As he filled his cart with salad, beans and more, he was stopped by Darlene Winch, a parishioner at Sacred Heart in Ozora. She lamented that she’s been unable to attend Sunday Mass due to her work schedule. Father Wessel quickly informed her that the priests are working on a new Mass schedule for Ste. Genevieve, Sacred Heart and Our Lady Help of Christians parishes, which will be grouped under the ministry of the same pastor and associate pastors as of Aug. 1.

10:14 a.m.

Back at the rectory, Father Wessel sat down for a quick bite to eat, refueling with oatmeal and his first cup of coffee. “Running acts a lot like your first cup of coffee. It really wakes you up,” Father Wessel said. As he loaded his bowl into the dishwasher, he checked his phone to see if it was his day to hear confessions before Ste. Genevieve’s noon Mass. Father Mitchell Baer, associate pastor at Ste. Genevieve until Aug. 1, responded that he had it covered, giving Father Wessel ample time to make his daily Holy Hour.

A daily Holy Hour is just the beginning of a priest’s spiritual life. He is also required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours — a set of readings to be prayed at five different points of the day — and Father Wessel prays the Rosary daily and receives the sacrament of confession often. Father Baer heard his confession the day before.

Father Wessel wasn’t sure if he would like going to confession with a priest who is also his friend, but he’s had a positive experience of the sacrament with Father Baer, he said. “He knows me so well, and his advice is so great.”

Hitting the town

12:03 p.m.

With the fridge stocked, his Holy Hour completed and a free afternoon ahead, Father Wessel set out for a walk through downtown Ste. Genevieve. He dropped in to visit Olive Kraus, whom he met during his diaconate year, in her workshop. Hearing Father Wessel shout hello, Kraus walked to the front to greet him and asked him to take a look at her chimney filled with bees. He agreed, asking Kraus if she had new questions about... the Catholic faith.

“I’m not a religious person,” Kraus said. “When (then) Deacon Wessel walked in the first time, I first thought, ‘Oh no, what did I do wrong?’ But then when he left, I thought, ‘Wow, that was so awesome,’ and then I ended up going to Catholic Mass for the first time. Just to have somebody that is open and very involved in the community is so wonderful.”

After saying goodbye to Kraus, Father Wessel continued through town, waving to neighbors along the way. Mike Giasi, executive director of Vincentian Marian Youth, shouted hello across the street as he stepped out of his truck. Father Wessel’s new responsibilities include serving the Vincentian Marian Youth group, so he asked if the two could meet later.

2:10 p.m.

Next stop — ice cream. Classifying it as a pastoral visit, Father Wessel stopped at Sara’s Ice Cream to buy a sweet treat and visit two Valle High school students who were working. Forking over $1, he indulged in frozen peppermint patties as he asked about the girls’ recent trip to Europe.

“Being able to walk around and talk to people has been amazing because people know that that’s my purpose: to be present to them,” Father Wessel said. “That’s why Jesus has sent me, to be present to them and to do something to be there for them.”

4:45 p.m.

After returning to the rectory, Father Wessel took advantage of a slow rest of the afternoon to pray with the Scripture passages for the upcoming Sunday in preparation for his homily. He also got ready for his first marriage preparation session with an engaged couple before welcoming them to the rectory at 5:30 p.m.

After the couple departed, Father Wessel made a quick dinner, read a little bit and prayed Night Prayer to close out his first weekday as a priest. He was excited about what tomorrow would bring.

Five days later

As he wrapped up his first full week as associate pastor, Father Wessel took the visiting Totus Tuus missionaries out to dinner and — embracing his role as a country priest — headed to the Ste. Genevieve County Fair.

He stopped by the livestock barn to chat with Jenna and Justin Keuhn, parishioners at Ste. Genevieve. Their son, Sam, raised the champion market hog through the 4-H program. While admiring the hog, Father Wessel shared how he raised chickens when he participated in the 4-H program during his childhood in Troy, Missouri.

“Getting to know the people who live in Ste. Genevieve has been really, really good,” Father Wessel said. “It’s humbling to be invited into people’s lives so readily. That’s one of the fruits of celibacy that I’ve really experienced, is that people know that you’re there for them.”