On Friday, May 22, five men will be ordained as transitional deacons, and St. Joseph and St. Bridget will be a summer home for one of them!  Maximilian Bilz—soon to be Deacon Maximilian—currently is a third year theologian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.  He is a native of St. Michael Parish in Mulvane, KS, and Bishop Jackels has assigned him to serve in McPherson county for ten weeks this summer.

Deacons are referred to as “Ministers of Charity” who assist the pastor in the duties of serving parishioners.  As a “transitional” Deacon, Maximilian will have one more year of seminary studies before being ordained a priest next May, 2010.  During his time here as a deacon, Maximilian will assist at the celebration of Mass by proclaiming the Gospel and preaching the Sunday and daily Mass homilies.  He will help prepare the altar during the offertory, and he will offer the dismissal at Mass (“The Mass is ended.  Go in peace.”)  As a deacon, he would also be able to celebrate baptisms, witness weddings and help with funerals.  He will assist with taking communion to the sick and homebound.  Besides these responsibilities, Maximilian will simply be learning more about life in a parish community, getting acquainted with parishioners and fostering an interest in vocations to the priesthood by his example of prayer and service.  Maximilian will reside at the parish rectory with Fr. David, and he will report to St. Joseph's on Wednesday, May 27th.  His first weekend of service will be Pentecost weekend, May 30th and 31st.

Until his arrival and ordination to the diaconate, please keep Maximilian Bilz in your prayers that he may be receptive to the grace of Holy Orders and the calling to the good work that God has begun in him.