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| May 2004 |
| Diocese to ordain two to the priesthood,
two to be transitional deacons |
Gene Young
Managing Editor
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Two seminarians from the Catholic Diocese
of Sioux Falls will be ordained to the priesthood in June while
two other men prepare for ordination as transitional deacons.
The ordinations of Rev. Mr. Thomas Fitzpatrick and Rev. Mr.
Justin Wachs are scheduled for Friday, June 11 at St. Joseph
Cathedral.
The next day, Dana Christensen and Robert Lacey will be ordained
transitional deacons.
Thomas Fitzpatrick is in his fourth year of theology studies
at the North American College in Rome, and was born in Darby,
PA.
Fitzpatrick is the son of John and Elysia Fitzpatrick and has
two brothers and three sisters.
He attended St. Joseph University and Temple University, both
in Philadelphia, before entering seminary.
The 39-year-old seminarian also has a bachelor of arts degree
from Holy Apostles College Seminary.
He served as a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger and worked for a shipping
company before entering seminary.
For Fitzpatrick, the first hint of his vocation to the priesthood
came while in eighth grade. One of the sisters at school spoke
to him and his classmates in a serious tone. “Now, boys,
some of you, at least one of you has a vocation to the priesthood.
You can ignore it if you want to but it will always come back
to you...until you won’t be able to resist it any longer,”
she told them.
“I remember putting my head down and saying to myself
‘oh no, she’s talking to me,’” Fitzpatrick
recalls.
After living out experiences of college, military service and
employment opportunities, “the gentle insistence of this
calling became so apparent that all I could do was say yes,”
Fitzpatrick said.
Justin Wachs is also a fourth year theology student at the North
American College in Rome.
The 26-year old seminarian is the son of David and Marilyn Wachs
of Aberdeen. He has three brothers and four sisters and calls
Sacred Heart Church in Aberdeen his home parish.
Wachs attended Roncalli High School, Aberdeen, before attending
Christendom College, Front Royal, VA and St. Mary University,
Winona, MN, where he received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy.
Wachs has always wanted to be a priest, as far back as he can
recall. “The first time I remember expressing it was when
I was in second grade, shortly after my First Holy Communion,”
Wachs said. “I went to confession to Father Roger Geditz
and I asked him, ‘Father, what do you have to do to be
a priest?’ He chuckled.”
Father Geditz advice to the young Wachs was to “listen
to your parents, do well in school, and pray. Then some day
you will be a priest.”
Wachs says he will never forget that day. “From that moment
on, the flame of my vocation was lit.”
Father Geditz, Father John Riley, Arlington, VA, and Father
Dennis Gill, Philadelphia, PA, are all mentors, friends and
supporters for Justin Wachs.
Dana Christensen was born in Milbank.
The 26-year old is a third year theology student at Kenrick-Glennon
Seminary, St. Louis.
He is the son of Lowell and Cindy Christensen. He has one brother
and two sisters.
His home parish is St. Lawrence in Milbank.
Before entering the seminary, Christensen attended St. Lawrence
Elementary School, Milbank, Milbank High School and Immaculate
Heart of Mary Seminary/St. Mary University, Winona, MN.
Christensen majored in choir and drama prior to entering the
seminary. He received a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy
as an undergraduate.
He is currently studying for his M.Div. and an MA in Theology
specializing in Liturgy.
Like Wachs, Dana Christensen has wanted to be a priest for as
long as he can remember. There have been many instances of people
encouraging him to pursue his vocation. “Many priests
encouraged me growing up,” he said. “Growing up
in the parish in Milbank, the parish was staffed by the priests
of Blue Cloud. So the abbey had a lot to do with my vocation.”
Robert (Bob) Lacey is a native of Trent, where his parents still
live and run the family farm.
The 24-year old is a third year theology student at Mount Saint
Mary Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD.
He is the son of Ted and Bev Lacey and has four brothers.
He calls St. Mary, Dell Rapids, his home parish.
Lacey graduated from Flandreau Public High School, attended
the South Dakota Schools of Mines and Technology, Rapid City
for two years before entering the seminary at Immaculate Heart
of Mary Seminary, Winona, MN.
When he is not studying, Lacey enjoys woodworking, Model rocketry
and gardening. |
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