On Oct. 3, he and 30 men of the Pontifical North American College were ordained to the transitional diaconate. Standing before the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica, they made their promises of celibacy, obedience and prayer followed by the laying on of hands by the Most Rev. Robert P. Deeley, Bishop of Portland, Maine, making them deacons of the Roman Catholic Church.
Bishop Deeley spoke to those about to be ordained about living a life rooted in the Gospel. He explained to them that the fundamental mission of the deacon is to bring the message of God’s love, which they have first received, to others. He concluded by saying that if the newly ordained strived to fulfill all that the Church expected of them, with the grace of God, they would hear the blessed words of Our Savior, “well done my good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master.”
Finding his vocation
It took Deacon Christian time to surrender to the will of our Master as he recalled trying to follow his vocation early in life. Eventually, doing God’s will is where he found true happiness.
“I’m incredibly happy that I did it! It was an arduous process, and I think for a lot of people trying to do something like that is hard when you don't get immediate payoff,” Deacon Christian explained. “The first few years of seminary studies were somewhat difficult for me, because there were things I was still holding onto. Eventually, during my time in the seminary, it began to feel less like surrendering and more like doing God's will is the thing I would never want to live without.”
A few days after ordination, Deacon Christian reflected that while the same promises made of celibacy, obedience and prayer carry through to the priesthood, as of the day of his diaconate ordination, those promises are permanent.
“For me, it's a really good feeling to have that sense of permanency. At the same time, there is still formation that needs to happen, classes to attend and other studying. No one is ever called to the transitional diaconate permanently. So, on the whole, I am incredibly grateful, but I am, of course, still looking forward to priesthood.”
New school year
Now, beginning a new school year, the men will have an additional year of theological studies and spiritual formation. God willing, in less than a year, these same deacons will be ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ, in their respective dioceses.
For Deacon Christian, the next year of seminary will be filled with formation conferences which focus on the practicalities of priestly ministry. These include how to hear confessions, anointing of the sick, etc. “For most of us, it also means having time in college ministry with university semester abroad programs,” he said. “I was lucky enough to be assigned to the University of Mary Rome Semester Program. Academically, the men in Rome start a license in theology during their fourth year. I will be studying dogma at the Lateran University with a specialization in ecclesiology and sacraments.”
God willing, Deacons Christian Smith and Mark Aune (currently studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis) will be ordained priests for the Diocese of Bismarck this summer at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
The years of seminary change a man and prepare him for the life devoted to God and serving His people.
“There are a lot of things about me that have changed, in fact, a lot of them I'm sure I don't realize yet. The depth of my prayer (as if you can measure it) is definitely deeper, and now it feels like something is missing if I don't do it. I also feel a greater sense of confidence. I'm much less afraid to either take charge or to speak in public (like a homily).”
In fact, preaching those homilies is what he’s most looking forward to as his priesthood ordination nears. Now as a deacon, he’ll get to put that new confidence into practice and hone his skills.