St. Meinrad Seminarians Receive Ministries

Diocese of Evansville seminarians Luke Hassler and Andrew Thomas were among 13 priesthood students from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad who received the ministry of acolyte earlier this month in the Seminary’s St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville installed the acolytes.

In addition to Hassler and Thomas, seminarians receiving the ministry included:

·         Gregory Marc Bentley and Aldrin Tayag, Diocese of Lexington

·         Michael Bialorucki and Peter Grodi, Diocese of Toledo

·         Ross Caniglia and Timothy Pick, Diocese of Sioux City

·         Anthony Cecil Jr. and Steven Reeves, Archdiocese of Louisville

·         Patrick Gilbreath, Archdiocese of Mobile

·         John Herrera, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

·         Mark Schuster, Diocese of Knoxville

An acolyte assists a deacon or priest, primarily in the celebration of Mass. He attends to the needs of the altar and may distribute Communion as an auxiliary minister. He also may be entrusted with the public veneration of the Blessed Sacrament, but does not give the Benediction, which is reserved for a priest or deacon.

Eighteen other priesthood students from Saint Meinrad received the ministry of lector earlier this month in St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. Archbishop Kurtz also installed the lectors, including:

• Joseph Augustin, Archdiocese of Nassau

• Camerino Aviles-Ayala and George Jose, Diocese of Memphis

• Michael Batz, Michael Clawson and Michael Dedek, Archdiocese of Indianapolis

• Joel Blaize, OSB, and Elias Leeuw, OSB, Saint Meinrad Archabbey

• Peter Chineke, Diocese of Springfield, IL

• Edwin Jarboe, Archdiocese of Louisville

• Nicholas Koeppel and Nicholas Newton, Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau

• Gabriel Mills, Connor Plessala and Peyton Plessala, Archdiocese of Mobile

• Michaelprakasam Puthumaisavari, Diocese of Palayamkottai, India

• Dan Taylor and Timothy White, Diocese of Lexington

The ministry of lector is conferred upon those who prepare and proclaim readings from Scripture at Mass and other liturgical celebrations. A lector also may recite psalms between the readings and present the intentions for the general intercessions.