'A Great Day
Father Tony Ernst, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Haubstadt, provided the headline for this story as he addressed a standing-room-only crowd May 30 in the sanctuary. He was referring to the ordination of parish son Tyler Tenbarge as a transitional deacon. Father Ernst noted that the last sons of the parish to be ordained were Monsignor Kenneth Knapp and Father Leo Kiesel, both retired from the Diocese of Evansville, who were ordained to the priesthood on March 30, 1963, in Innsburck, Austria, where they attended seminary.
Bishop Charles C. Thompson ordained Tenbarge during a Mass concelebrated by more than 30 priests of the Diocese of Evansville. Seminarians attending Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary College in Indianapolis and St. Meinrad Theological Seminary served the Mass with Deacons William Brandle and Joseph Siewers.
After acknowledging (in his homily) Tenbarge’s intellect and charm, and his abilities as a leader and communicator, Bishop Thompson talked about his vocation as viewed through a secular lens.
“In today’s society, some might wonder why a young man with so much potential and seemingly unlimited options would ‘settle’ for a way of life that the world views as irrelevant and contrary to the pursuit of happiness,” Bishop Thompson said. “After all, compassion and sacrifice are not prized in a culture of indifference where ‘virtue’ has been redefined to have any value at all in today’s society.
“Why does a young man with his entire life ahead of him, capable of succeeding in whatever direction he sets himself, want to give his life in service to others? This is like swimming upstream against a worldly current of selfishness rushing toward greater violence, hatred, disregard and hedonism,” he added.
“This man, Tyler Tenbarge, son of Mark and Susan, is no freak exception of human existence. Rather, his very act of self-giving reflects the true spirit of humanity that has seemingly been forfeited or discarded amid a throw-away society that tends to value things over persons, one’s wants over another’s need, externals at the expense of internals and fleeting delights to eternal happiness.
“Thus, we embrace this moment with hearts and minds of gratitude.”
Tenbarge’s parents, Mark and Susan, were gift bearers. He joined them and other family members in the front row of pews until Bishop Thompson called him forward after the homily to complete the Promise of the Elect. “May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.”
Tenbarge and his family are members of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. He attended Sts. Peter and Paul School and graduated from Gibson Southern High School. He attended Purdue University and worked for the Future Farmers of America national organization before entering Bruté Seminary College and Marian University in 2009.
In 2011, he spent a semester studying in Rome. He attended the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, Neb., in the summer of 2012, and served the summer of 2013 at Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville. He also has spent a summer in Olympia, Wash., doing Clinical Pastoral Education as a hospital chaplain.
Tenbarge currently is serving at Evansville’s Resurrection Parish, and is on track to be ordained to the priesthood in June 2016.
Here is Bishop Thompson's homily in both English and Spanish:
While this may not be the moment the entire world or even the nation has been waiting for, several years in the making, it is certainly a great day for the Church in Southwest Indiana comprising the Diocese of Evansville. We do not merely welcome this young man before us, but the Church calls forth Tyler Ray Tenbarge for Holy Orders. Being ordained a Deacon, Tyler is accepting the call to service as a representative of the clergy for the Catholic Church, local and universal.
Tyler, of course, is widely recognized and admired as being a very gifted young man of many talents. He has already proven himself as a rather charismatic leader, a very effective communicator, possessing a keen intellect, a man of prayer, and a charmer of sorts. He evidences a penchant for doing all things well. Despite his many personal talents, like all servants of the Church, he must rely not so much on his own merit as on God’s grace and mercy present in his life and ministry. This is what it means to rely upon the grace of Holy Orders.
Such reliance is not a mere passive act. Reliance upon such grace requires that one be rooted in prayer, ongoing study and discernment to cooperate with divine will over and above human ego.
In today’s society, some might wonder why a young man with so much potential and seemingly unlimited options would “settle” for a way of life that the world views as irrelevant and contrary to the pursuit of happiness. After all, compassion and sacrifice are not prized in a culture of indifference where “virtue” has been redefined to have any value at all in today’s society. Why does a young man with his entire life ahead of him, capable of succeeding in whatever direction he sets himself, want to give his life in service to others? This is like swimming upstream against a worldly current of selfishness rushing toward greater violence, hatred, disregard and hedonism.
This man, Tyler Tenbarge, son of Mark and Susan, is no freak exception of human existence. Rather, his very act of self-giving reflects the true spirit of humanity that has seemingly been forfeited or discarded amid a throw-away society that tends to value things over persons, one’s wants over another’s need, externals at the expense of internals and fleeting delights to eternal happiness.
Thus, we embrace this moment with hearts and minds of gratitude. First, we give thanks to God for calling forth Tyler. Second, we must express our appreciation for all those who have shaped Tyler into the person before us, his family and friends, particularly his parents. We also acknowledge the blessing of those responsible for his seminary formation and education; namely, Bishop Simon Brute Seminary, St. Meinrad School of Theology and our own Diocesan Vocation Office. Thanks to our priests, religious, parish staffs and parishioners who have taken an active role in Tyler’s vocational journey. Finally, thanks to Tyler for his courage, humility and generosity in answering the call to ordained ministry and service.
The scripture readings chosen for this ordination liturgy speak of grace necessary to carry out this awesome task of ministry. Like the prophet Jeremiah, one who ministers in the name of the Lord must trust in the Lord. As noted in the Letter to the Ephesians, there is a certain manner that must underlie one’s life and service; namely that of humility, gentleness, patience, unity and peace. Finally, the Gospel of Matthew recalls Jesus mission of proclaiming the Gospel, curing the sick, being moved with pity for the crowds and calling forth more laborers for the harvest of the Kingdom.
Obviously, what transpires in the ordination rite involves a two-way street, so-to-speak. In just a few minutes, Tyler will make his public commitment to the three-fold promises of prayer, celibacy and obedience. His promise of prayer includes his participation in the regular celebration of Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, praying continuously for the needs of the Church, both local and universal. The promise of celibacy is by no means a diminishment of the dignity of marriage and family. On the contrary, the promise of celibacy involves a willingness to sacrifice one’s personal experience of marriage and family in order to be available to others in a unique way. Every baptized member of the Church has a vocation, a calling to live in a particular way and serve the needs of others in the name of Jesus Christ. The trust underlying the promise of obedience, of course, involves a great act of courage and humility. The bishop, in turn, has a great responsibility to the candidate, being concerned for the well-being of the ordained minister as well as the community for whom he is assigned to serve. This does not mean that Tyler will always get what he wants, but hopefully, I may always provide for his needs as well as those of the diocese.
Tyler, on behalf of a grateful diocese, I pledge our prayer and support for you. While it may seem on the surface to be a mere cliché, I encourage you to be yourself in the best sense of what it means to be human and a faithful disciple of the Lord. There is no need for pretense or being preoccupied with how you are being judged by others. Such anxieties only hinder ministry. Remaining grounded in prayer, the Word of God, the celebration of the Sacraments and attentiveness to the needs of others in service, is the recipe for a fruitful life in ministry and service to God’s holy people. Be especially attentive to the needs of the poor, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, the vulnerable and all those beaten down or swept to the peripheries of society. These demand and deserve the best of our time, talent and treasure. This is what the Church asks of you and needs from you. Pope Francis, speaking of the “smell of the sheep,” makes clear how essential it is to develop and maintain a culture of encounter in knowing those we serve as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
Finally, whatever our vocation may be, let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Star of the New Evangelization. Looking to her as the ultimate model of heroic virtue and intentional discipleship, may we be inspired to draw ever closer to her Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, in witness to gospel joy.
Si bien es cierto éste no podría ser el momento que el mundo entero o incluso la nación han estado esperando, varios años en proceso, es ciertamente un gran día para la Iglesia en el Suroeste de Indiana que comprende la Diócesis de Evansville. Nosotros no sólo le damos la bienvenida a este joven que está ante nosotros, pero también la Iglesia llama a Tyler Ray Tenbarge para las Ordenes Sagradas. Al ser ordenado diácono, Tyler está aceptando la llamada al servicio como representante del clero de la Iglesia Católica ambas local y universal.
Tyler, por supuesto, es ampliamente reconocido y admirado por ser un joven dotado de muchos talentos. Él ya se ha probado a sí mismo como un líder bastante carismático, un comunicador efectivo, poseyendo un intelecto agudo, un hombre de oración, y un hombre con una personalidad encantadora. Él muestra una inclinación por hacer todas las cosas bien. A pesar de sus muchos talentos personales, como todos los servidores de la Iglesia, el debe confiar no tanto en su propio mérito como en la gracia y la misericordia de Dios presente en su vida y en su ministerio. Esto es lo que significa confiar en la gracia de las Ordenes Sagradas. Dicha confianza no es un mero acto pasivo. La confianza en tal gracia requiere que uno esté arraigado en la oración y en un estudio y discernimiento continuo para cooperar con la voluntad divina por encima del ego humano.
En la sociedad actual, algunos podrían preguntarse por qué un joven con mucho potencial y aparentemente con opciones ilimitadas estaría "estableciéndose" en un modo de vida que el mundo ve irrelevante y contrario a la búsqueda de la felicidad. Después de todo, la compasión y el sacrificio no son muy apreciados en una cultura de indiferencia donde "la virtud" ha sido redefinida a no tener ningún valor en la sociedad actual. ¿Por qué un joven con una vida entera por delante, capaz de tener éxito en cualquier dirección que emprenda, quiere dar su vida al servicio a los demás? Esto es como nadar contra la corriente del mundo lleno de egoísmo la cual corre hacia una mayor violencia, odio, desprecio y hedonismo.
Este hombre, Tyler Tenbarge, hijo de Mark y Susan, no es una excepción rara de la existencia humana. Más bien, su acto de donación de si mismo refleja el verdadero espíritu de la humanidad que aparentemente se ha perdido o descartado en medio de una sociedad que se concentra más en valorar las cosas más que a las personas, los deseos de uno sobre las necesidades de otros, lo externo a expensas de lo interno y los deleites fugaces a la felicidad eterna.
Por lo tanto, aceptamos este momento con corazones y mentes agradecidas. En primer lugar, damos gracias a Dios por llamar a Tyler. Segundo, debemos expresar nuestro agradecimiento por todos aquellos que han formado a Tyler en la persona que está ante nosotros, su familia y amigos, especialmente a sus padres. También reconozcamos la bendición de los responsables de su formación y educación en el seminario; específicamente, el Seminario Bishop Simon Brute, la Facultad de Teología de San Meinrad y nuestra Oficina Diocesana de Vocaciones. Gracias a nuestros sacerdotes, religiosas, personal parroquial y feligreses que han tomado un papel activo en el camino vocacional de Tyler. Por último, gracias a Tyler por su valentía, humildad y generosidad en responder la llamada al ministerio y servicio ordenado.
Las lecturas bíblicas elegidas para esta liturgia de ordenación hablan de la gracia necesaria para llevar ésta impresionante tarea ministerial. Como el profeta Jeremías, el que ministra en el nombre de Señor debe confiar en el Señor. Como se señala en la carta a los Efesios, hay una cierta manera que debe ser la base de la vida y el servicio de uno; específicamente, la humildad, la mansedumbre, la paciencia, la unidad y la paz. Por último, el Evangelio de Mateo recuerda la misión de Jesús de proclamar el Evangelio, curar los enfermos, ser movido con compasión por las multitudes y llamar más obreros para la cosecha del Reino.
Obviamente, lo que sucede en el rito de ordenación implica un camino de doble vía, por así decirlo. En pocos minutos, Tyler hará su compromiso público a las tres promesas de oración, celibato y obediencia. Su promesa de oración incluye su participación en la celebración regular de la Misa y la Liturgia de las Horas, orando continuamente por las necesidades de la Iglesia local y universal. La promesa del celibato no es en absoluto una disminución de la dignidad del matrimonio y la familia. Por el contrario, la promesa del celibato implica la voluntad a sacrificar la propia experiencia personal del matrimonio y de la familia con el fin de estar disponible para otros de una manera única. Cada miembro bautizado de la Iglesia tiene una vocación, un llamado a vivir de una manera particular y a servir a las necesidades de los demás en el nombre de Jesucristo. La confianza en el trasfondo de la promesa de la obediencia, por supuesto, implica un gran acto de valentía y humildad. El obispo, en a su vez, tiene una gran responsabilidad para con el candidato, estar preocupado por el bienestar del ministro ordenado, así como por la comunidad a la cual el es asignado a servir. Esto no significa que Tyler siempre obtendrá lo que quiere, pero espero, poder siempre proporcionar sus necesidades así como también las de la diócesis.
Tyler, en nombre de una diócesis agradecida, comprometo nuestras oraciones y apoyo para ti. Aunque puede parecer en la superficie ser un mero cliché, te animo a ser tú mismo en el mejor sentido de lo que significa ser humano y un fiel discípulo del Señor. No hay necesidad de pretensión o estar preocupado por la forma en que estas siendo juzgado por otros. Tales ansiedades solamente obstaculizan el ministerio. Permanecer fundamentado en la oración, la Palabra de Dios, la celebración de los Sacramentos y en atención a las necesidades de los demás en el servicio, es la receta para una vida fructífera en el ministerio y en el servicio al pueblo santo de Dios. Sé especialmente atento a las necesidades de los pobres, los despreciados, los que están privados de sus derechos, los vulnerables y todos aquellos golpeados o privados en las periferias de la sociedad. Todo esto demanda y merece lo mejor de nuestro tiempo, talento y tesoro. Esto es lo que el Iglesia pide de ti y necesita de ti. El Papa Francisco, hablando del "olor de las ovejas," deja claro lo esencial que es desarrollar y mantener una cultura de encuentro en conocer a aquellos que servimos como hermanos y hermanas en Jesucristo.
Por último, cualquiera que sea nuestra vocación, confiemos en la intercesión de la Santísima Virgen María, Madre de Dios y Estrella de la Nueva Evangelización. Que al mirarla a ella como el máximo modelo de virtud heroica y de un discipulado intencional, seamos inspirados a acercarnos cada vez más cerca a su Hijo, nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo, como testigos del evangelio de la alegría.
