Eight MTSM Seminarians Installed in Ministry of Lector
03.18.25
The Most Rev. Earl K. Fernandes, Bishop of Columbus, installed eight Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology (MTSM) seminarians across four sending dioceses in the Ministry of Lector on March 15 in the Chapel of St. Gregory the Great. The installation was celebrated as part of MTSM’s annual parents’ Mass and dinner evening.
During his homily, Bishop Fernandes, who is an alum of MTSM, told the men to be installed as Lectors that they needed to confront the challenges in front of us in the same way the Lord confronted his. He went on to say that Lectors need to know what their office is and to assist in the mission of preaching the Gospel to the world with qualities of sincerity in word and deed.
Three formal steps are required by the Church prior to being ordained into the diaconate and priesthood. The first step is the Rite of Candidacy at which a man formally states his intention to be formed for ordination. The second is the Ministry of Lector which is a formal recognition of the relationship he is called to have with Sacred Scripture and his willingness to apply himself to its study and proclamation for the good of the Church. The third step is the Ministry of Acolyte, the final ministry received prior to ordination as a transitional deacon. It is a formal recognition of the willingness to serve the community, primarily in its liturgical rites.
Those installed are listed below:
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
From left: Nick Barsala (Lebanon), The Most Rev. Earl K. Fernandes (Bishop of Columbus), William Rannells (Wilmington), Rev. Michael A. Willig (Director of Vocations, Archdiocese of Cincinnati)
Diocese of Charlotte
From Left: Mateo Perez (Leonir), Rev. Brian Becker (Promoter of Vocations, Diocese of Charlotte), Rev. Earl K. Fernandes (Bishop of Columbus), Matthew Stanley (Charleston, SC), Mark Becker (Charlotte)
Diocese of Columbus
From Left: Rev. William Hahn (Vocations Director, Diocese of Columbus), Benedictus Adjanoh (Columbus), The Most Rev. Earl K. Fernandes (Bishop of Columbus), Jacob Wilson (Gahanna)
Diocese of Toledo
From Left: Declan Reimer (Toledo), The Most Rev. Earl K. Fernandes (Bishop of Columbus), Rev. David Kidd (Vocations Director, Diocese of Toledo)