Christopher Spiese spends the majority of his time teaching chemistry as a professor at Ohio Northern University in Ada. He also finds himself advising students sorting through their vocations or listening to students or staff dealing with life issues. It’s in those moments that his own life experience helps him relate to the students in a ministerial way.

He also understands the struggle some people have with faith. As a cradle Catholic, he drifted away from the church during his teen years. It was during a difficult time in graduate school at the State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry that he went to Mass at Our Lady of Solace and, he said, he was “back home.”

Spiese then got involved with the parish and began to consider the priesthood. Unhappy in graduate school and looking for more, he did some exploration into the priesthood but quickly found that was not the path for him. Then he met his wife, Jessica, shifting those nagging thoughts of entering priesthood to becoming a deacon. 

The couple moved for Spiese’s teaching position at Ohio Northern, where, in addition to his chemistry classes, he has taught a course for freshmen on the philosophy and practice of science.

“There are two ways of looking at the same truth,” he said. “On the scientific side, we can come up with whatever observable thing there, knowing there is always going to be a limitation, there’s going to be a finite limit to what we can know and how we can understand and what science can ultimately tell us. It can tell us what is, why it happens, but it can’t tell us what should we do.

“Ultimately, if we can’t observe it, it’s outside that scientific realm of inquiry. Our faith gives us the structure and principles for thinking through … we have this now, what do we do, what is the right course of action? There are things essentially beyond our observable senses here in faith, but it’s through faith and revelation that we understand what lies just beyond that sight.”

Deacon Christopher Spiese receives the Book of the Gospels from Bishop Earl Fernandes. CT photo by Ken Snow

It was when he was asked to give a talk at an ONU Kairos retreat in 2016 when Spiese’s movement toward the diaconate picked up momentum. He went to the chapel to pray for another speaker.

“It’s kind of like the Holy Spirit takes a 2x4 and smacks you right upside the head,” he said. “I realized I was secure for tenure, I was of an age, everything is lined up. The message was, it’s time, get going.”

Within a week, he met with his parish pastor and deacon and in January 2017 he started the diaconate classes. 

“Jess and I talked about it a lot and we decided we’re going to keep going until somebody says no, even if it’s one of us,” Spiese said.

Deacon Christopher Spiese receives the laying on of hands from Bishop Earl Fernandes. CT photo by Ken Snow

Spiese has found that his formation background has enabled him to support students during difficult times.

“Knowing that I can be a person that people in pain or struggling or grappling with whatever life is throwing at them, they can talk to me,” Spiese said. “As much as we talk about liturgy or sacraments, that right there is the encounter. That’s the one that when they look back they’re not going to remember the homily you gave or whether you poured the water and wine correctly. It was in that moment when I needed God, He was there, through another person.”