Four seminarians ordained as deacons: high task of humble service

Four diocesan seminarians came one step closer to the priesthood on Friday, May 5, when they were ordained as deacons by Bishop Earl Fernandes at Westerville St. Paul the Apostle Church.

The Mass was a special one. It was the first time the bishop celebrated the sacrament of holy orders since being ordained and installed as the 13th bishop of the Diocese of Columbus on May 31, 2022.

The bishop was assisted in the celebration of the Mass by Msgr. Stephan Moloney, vicar general; Father Steven Beseau, rector and president of the Pontifical College Josephinum; Father William Hahn, director of vocations; and Father Jonathan Wilson, pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church.

Tyler Carter, Jason Fox, Michael Haemmerle and David Johnstone presented themselves before Bishop Fernandes at the altar during the election of the candidates.

The ordinands – the men being ordained – have a final year of theological studies to complete at the seminary before being ordained as priests. They will serve as transitional deacons and then be ordained as priests at this time next year, given that each man continues to discern a call to the priesthood.

In his homily, Bishop Fernandes reflected on the election of the candidates, a ritual dating to the time of the Apostles, where men are presented as deacons.

“This ancient ritual reflects the practice going back to apostolic times when the Apostles searched for ‘men of good repute, filled with wisdom and the Holy Spirit’ to serve as deacons,” he said. “It was on those seven original men that the Apostles laid hands. Now, as these men journey toward the priesthood, they must have the confidence of the people.

“And, the Church that walks together, Pope Francis says, they have both – candidate and people – embarked on the same journey toward heaven. They are on the same ship, share the same risk and the same security. The people themselves must feel that their highest interest – their salvation – is in hands they can trust. The deacon and the priest must have the respect of the people.”

The bishop reflected on the second reading of the Mass from St. Paul’s first letter to St. Timothy, in which Paul writes that deacons must be dignified, not addicted to drink, not greedy, but hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12-13) Men must first be tested, and if nothing is found against them, then they may serve as deacons, St. Paul wrote.

Bishop Fernandes said Carter, Fox, Haemmerle and Johnstone have been tested by their seminary formators, the people of God and the Diocese of Columbus.

Father Hahn testified on behalf of the people of God that the candidates had been found worthy to be ordained to the Order of the Diaconate. Father Hahn affirmed they are worthy of the people’s trust, the bishop said, and one day, the people will entrust themselves to these four men. They have passed the test.

In his homily, the bishop outlined the responsibilities of a deacon.

“As ministers of the altar, they will proclaim the Gospel, prepare the sacrifice (of the Mass) and distribute the Body and Blood of the Lord,” he said. “Through the ministry at the altar, they will also be preparing to be the ones, who in union with Christ the High Priest, will one day offer the sacrifice.

“As ministers of the Word, they will exhort believers and unbelievers alike and instruct them in holy doctrine, presiding over public prayer, including the Liturgy of the Hours. They will administer baptism, assist at marriages, bring Viaticum (the Eucharist) to the dying and conduct funerals.”

Bishop Fernandes spoke of the duties of the diaconate as a call to service. Paraphrasing St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the bishop said the greatness of the ministry lies in serving for the sake of Jesus.

“These four men will carry out the ministry of charity in the name of the bishop,” he said. “In all these duties, with the power of the Holy Spirit, in such a way that you, the people of God, recognize them as disciples of Him who did not come to be served, but to serve.

“Yes, this is an exalted ministry, in as much as the ministry is a ministry of service. When we carry out the ministry of the Word, it is not ourselves whom we proclaim, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, Who rose from the dead, the Word of Life. In the ministry of the altar, we do not draw attention to ourselves, but to Him who lies upon the altar.”

Speaking directly to the ordinands, Bishop Fernandes told the men that the diaconate is a service that goes beyond justice into charity. He recalled Jesus’ example of service at the Last Supper, when Christ served even those who could be recognized as unworthy.

“Jesus gave His disciples an example of this humble service to which you men will be called when, at the Last Supper, He, who was Master and Teacher, washed the feet of the 12 (Apostles), even the feet of Judas who He knew would betray Him,” the bishop said. “In this, He endowed the service of the apostolate for all time with a divine nobility. 

“Through the power of the Holy Spirit and laying on of hands, you will be made servants, not only of God, but of your brothers and sisters. Today, as you enter the clerical state, God is beginning something new in each of you. But at the end of your days on this earth, we hope that Christ says to you, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.’”

Bishop Fernandes reflected on the irony of the high rank of deacon being a call to humble service – a high call to lowliness and laying down a life in service to Christ.

“In the old rite of ordination, the bishop specifically addressed candidates saying, ‘Consider well to what high rank in the Church you are ascending; for the deacon must serve,’” Bishop Fernandes said. “It is a high rank, a high task to be of lowly and humble service. 

“If you want to ascend, then the only way is to make yourself lowly. And if you want to climb, then I suggest the only thing you climb is the wood of the cross.”

Following the bishop’s homily, there was the promise of the elect. The four men professed a promise of celibacy. Unlike permanent deacons, who may be married before being ordained, transitional deacons make a perpetual vow of celibacy. The men also promised obedience to the bishop and his successors.

After the litany of supplication, when the congregation invoked the intercession of the saints as the four candidates lay prostrate on the church floor before the altar, there was the laying on of hands and prayer of ordination. 

The bishop laid his hands on the head of each candidate, while he and the other priests invoked the Holy Spirit to come down upon the ordinands, giving them a sacred character and setting them apart for their ministry.

In this part of the rite of ordination, the men were ordained to service in Holy Orders. Bishop Fernandes completed the act of ordination with a prayer, asking God to dedicate the deacons to the service of the altar and the Word.

The act of ordination was followed by the investiture with stole and dalmatic, a ritual in which the ordinands are vested, or dressed, in the dalmatic (the outer liturgical vestment of the deacon) and the stole, which the deacon wears over his left shoulder while officiating. The stole and dalmatic are signs of the ministry and office of the deacon in the Church.

“The dalmatic should remind you of new life and renewal and should be a reminder of the love which the Lord Jesus has for each of you,” Bishop Fernandes said. “He has clothed you with the garments of salvation. He has covered you with a robe of righteousness or justice. 

“Still, as disciples and ministers, you are called to go beyond justice to true charity. At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us both the sacrament of charity and an example of charity.”

Bishop Fernandes placed the Book of the Gospels in the hands of the deacons, symbolizing the deacon’s commitment to proclaim God’s Word. The bishop extended a greeting of peace to each newly ordained deacon. The practice, known as the fraternal kiss of peace, is a sign that the deacon is a co-worker of the bishop in the ministry of the Church.

The other diocesan deacons in attendance lined up and gave the same fraternal sign of peace to each of the four newly ordained deacons.

Deacon Carter, 26, is from Columbus St. Patrick Church. He is a graduate of Columbus Bishop Watterson High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the Josephinum. He attended Mater Dei Academy in Whitehall for grade school and was active in stage crew, the Prayer Club and the St. Joseph of Arimathea Pallbearer Society at Bishop Watterson.

While in seminary, Carter has served in summer assignments at Newark St. Francis de Sales, Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral, Mount Vernon St. Vincent de Paul and Danville St. Luke churches. He completed his pastoral year at Gahanna St. Matthew the Apostle Church.

His uncle, Father Tim Hayes, is a priest in the Columbus diocese who is currently serving as pastor of Chillicothe St. Mary, Chillicothe St. Peter and Waverly St. Mary churches.

Deacon Fox, 49, from Powell St. Joan of Arc Church, is a native of Toledo and graduated from Sylvania Southview High School. He moved to central Ohio in 2017 to be near his two sisters who live in the area. Fox is completing his theological studies at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, where he is studying alongside men who received a calling to the priesthood at an older age.

Fox lived in Detroit for 10 years. During his time there, he earned an associate degree in law enforcement from Oakland Community College in Auburn Hills, Michigan and studied criminal justice at Ferris State University. He also spent time in Boston tall ship sailing with the Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships.

Upon moving to Columbus, Fox spent a year taking courses in philosophy and theology at Ohio Dominican University before entering seminary at the Josephinum in 2019.

He has served in summer assignments at Scioto Catholic – Wheelersburg St. Peter in Chains, Portsmouth St. Mary of the Annunciation, Portsmouth Holy Redeemer and West Portsmouth Holy Trinity – and St. Paul the Apostle churches. He completed his pastoral year at Columbus Christ the King Church.

Deacon Haemmerle, 28, from St. Patrick and Pickerington St. Elizabeth Ann Seton churches, grew up in Carroll, Ohio. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University and was homeschooled through high school.

Haemmerle was active in St. Patrick’s youth group, and during his time in college, he was involved with Saint Paul’s Outreach (SPO), a missionary organization that serves young adults on college campuses. Haemmerle lived in SPO’s household in Columbus while studying at Ohio State.

He has served in summer assignments at Columbus St. Andrew, Columbus Holy Family and Chillicothe St. Peter churches. He served his pastoral year at Hilliard St. Brendan the Navigator Church.

Deacon Johnstone, 37, is from Marysville Our Lady of Lourdes Church. He was born in Coon Rapids, Minnesota and grew up in Marysville, raised in a Christian denomination. He graduated from Marysville High School and Ohio Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

After graduating college, he moved to northeast China and taught English at a private Chinese university for five years. He returned to the United States in 2012 and spent one year as a substitute teacher in Marysville.

Afterward, he moved to Seattle for three years to be near his then-fiancée and worked for the Salvation Army as a disaster care manager. He took RCIA classes to become Catholic while living in Seattle, but he returned to central Ohio after the wedding engagement was broken off.

He entered the Catholic Church in 2017 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church and began studies at the Josephinum that same year.

He has served in summer assignments at St. Paul the Apostle, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Luke, St. Peter in Chains, St. Mary of the Annunciation, Holy Trinity and Holy Redeemer churches, as well as the former New Boston St. Monica Church (that has since closed), and most recently served at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn, New York.

He spent his pastoral year at Chillicothe St. Mary, St. Peter and Waverly St. Mary churches.