Formation Candidates Installed in Ministry of Acolyte

The Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati, installed 22 Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology (MTSM) seminarians in the Ministry of Acolyte on November 9th in the Chapel of St. Gregory the Great.

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 Ministry of Acolyte is 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 and usually occurs during the second year of priestly formation.

“At this point in their formation and with the reception of the Ministry of Acolyte, these men are indicating their willingness to be configured to our Eucharistic Lord both interiorly and in their external actions and duties,” said the Very Rev. Anthony R. Brausch, Ph.D., President & Rector, MTSM. “The ritual even reminds them that they are to understand the deep spiritual meaning of what they do, so they can offer themselves, daily, as spiritual sacrifices, for the service and growth of the whole Church.”

Those instituted into the Ministry of Acolyte include:

Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Nicholas Charles Emmerling, St. Ann, Cincinnati
Curtis James Gross, St. Margaret of York, Cincinnati
Kraig Edward Gruss, Holy Trinity, Coldwater, OH
David Bradley Homoelle, St. Robert Bellarmine, Cincinnati
Daniel Jacob Jasek, Our Lady of Good Hope, Miamisburg, OH
Benjamin John Klare, St. Ignatius Loyola, Cincinnati
Nam Thanh Mac, Our Lady of Lavang, Cincinnati
Benjamin Michael Packer, St. Francis de Sales, Lebanon, OH
Alexander Maurice Parra, St. Gertrude, Cincinnati
Jacob Gregory Schmiesing, Holy Angels, Sidney, OH

Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Liam James Hosty, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, IN

Diocese of Charlotte
Christopher William Angermeyer, St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte, NC
Anthony del Cid Lucero, St. Joseph, Newton, NC
Christian Joseph Goduti, St. Mark, Huntersville, NC
Matthew Philip Harrison, Sacred Heart, Salisbury, NC
Nicholas James Kramer, St. Margaret Mary, Swannanoa, NC
Luke Joseph Martin, St. Mark, Huntersville, NC
Kolby Raymond Murrey, St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC
Andrew Jeffrey Templeton, St. Michael, Gastonia, NC
James Connor Tweed, St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC
Joseph Gerard Yellico, St. Mark, Huntersville, NC

Diocese of Toledo
Kevin Matthew McGraw, St. Charles Borromeo, Lima, OH

MTSM is the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s graduate-level Catholic Seminary and School of Theology. Founded in 1829, our 75-acre campus prepares men for ordination to the priesthood and permanent diaconate as part of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. In addition, our School of Theology offers classes for graduate and certification programs for laity, clergy and religious.

For additional information about MTSM, visit www.athenaeum.edu or call 513-231-2223