The liturgy of Evening Prayer marked a defining
moment in the priestly formation of nine seminarians
at the Pontifical College Josephinum on April 26,
2008, when the Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop
of Phoenix, admitted them to Candidacy for Holy Orders
in the seminary’s Saint Turibius Chapel.
The Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders
is celebrated when a seminarian has reached a maturity
of purpose in his formation and has demonstrated
the necessary qualifications for ordination. In
the presence of the bishop, he publicly expresses
his intention to complete his preparation for Holy
Orders and his resolve to fully invest himself to
that end, so that he will serve Christ and the Church
faithfully.
Eight dioceses had seminarians admitted to Candidacy
for Holy Orders: (Front row, l-r): Irion St. Romain
(Alexandria); Trinity Knight (Alexandria); Lucas
Rossi (Peoria); Andrew Budzinski (Fort Wayne-South
Bend); John Eckert (Charlotte); Thomas Parks
(Phoenix); Brian Gross (Bismarck); James Hatfield
III (Columbus); and Philip Gillespie (Charleston).
Members of the Josephinum formation faculty
(back row) with Bishop Olmsted (center): Rev. Shawn
McKnight, '94, Rev. John Allen, Msgr. William Cleves,
Msgr. Nevin Klinger,
Msgr. Paul Langsfeld, Rev. John Chadwick, Rev. Patrick
Manning, Rev. William Dettling, Sister Elizabeth
McDonough, OP, and Dr. John Clabeaux.
