Christ’s humble servants

Three men studying to be priests for the diocese will be one step closer in their journey as they are ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 24.

Diocesan seminarians Paul Gardner, Logan Obrigewitch and Ben Wanner are currently studying at the Theology III level at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. They will soon put their knowledge into practice as deacons, true servants of the Church.

“Theology III has been a year marked by a focus on becoming true and faithful leaders,” Seminarian Paul Gardner noted. “At this stage of seminary formation, we are being taught how to imitate Christ the Good Shepherd, more particularly, taking what we have learned theologically and seeing what it will look like in parishes. We have been given more opportunities to practice preaching, teaching and making pastoral decisions so as to become instruments of Christ’s own pastoral work.”

Classmate Logan Obrigewitch said the foremost preparation is their continued relationship with Jesus. “Gratefully, we participate daily in the sacraments and prayer. An experience that has helped me prepare for diaconate ordination is being aware of Jesus’ daily and consistent faithfulness through my time of seminary formation. I desire to imitate Jesus’ generous fidelity by serving His Church as a deacon and later on as a priest. In order to prepare for the diaconate, our Theology III class takes a deacon and homiletics’ practicum course, allowing us to preach and walk through the deacon’s role at the Mass.”

This pending important step toward the priesthood has these men in awe of their upcoming first sacred ordination.

“As I approach the moment in which I will lay down my life for the Church in the Diocese of Bismarck in a permanent and definitive way through ordination to the diaconate, there are a few things that keep coming to my mind and heart as a third-year theologian,” explained Seminarian Ben Wanner. “The image of the Good Shepherd certainly permeates my imagination as I notice an ever-growing desire to conform myself to Christ the Servant who lays down His life for His sheep. A perfect imitation of Christ in this vocation truly calls for a radically available and unconditional love for the whole flock.”

The trio will be ordained by Bishop Kagan at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck almost exactly one year before their scheduled priestly ordination in the same spot.

“I frequently run up against an emerging awe of the gravity of sacred ordination,” Ben added. “Although I will not yet be a priest, I realize more and more how profoundly a deacon can influence others through humble service, good preaching, reverent liturgies (especially baptisms and marriages), and, of course, through mature Christian friendship. My capacity to build up the kingdom of God will increase significantly.”

They are joyfully anticipating being able to serve the faithful this summer in their parish assignments within the diocese, preaching, teaching and baptizing, as well as following along in the daily life of a parish priest. For Logan, he’s excited to serve as a deacon at his sister’s wedding this summer.

“Since the deacon is a ‘living icon of Christ the servant,’ I am excited to serve the Church in our local diocese,” Logan explained. “What a humbling and free gift from God to serve Him at the altar for Mass and ambo to proclaim the Gospel. I also look forward to meeting and praying for the parishioners at the church I will be assigned.”

Paul added that he’s particularly eager to begin the ministry of preaching—to proclaim and explain the Gospel to those who are longing for Christ so that He may enter hearts with His freedom, hope and consolation. “At this point before ordination I have been guided by two general questions in my own thoughts and prayer. The first is this: ‘Am I doing my very best to prepare for this mission?’ The ordained ministry is never to be taken lightly since it is influential upon the salvation of souls, so I, of course, take this question very seriously. The second question that guides me is, ‘Do I have the humility to be ordained?’”

After spending the summer here in the diocese, the men will return to St. Louis for their final year of priestly formation. As deacons in Theology IV, they will serve in the Archdiocese of St. Louis at an assigned parish on the weekends.

Before returning to St. Louis, all three men are looking forward to attending the ordinations of their classmates where possible to celebrate the strong bond of brotherhood among seminarians. Ben noted that it will take them all over the country but will be well worth it. “The Kenrick class of Theology III has 13 men representing 10 dioceses from Bismarck to Belize, so there will be a lot of traveling!”