Friday, 02 December 2011 11:05

By Christopher M. Riggs

Ben Green is getting two big gifts in December. Not only will he be ordained to the transitional diaconate, he will be ordained in his home parish.

Green, a seminarian studying at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md., will be ordained on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at Holy Cross Church in Hutchinson. Ordinations are usually held in the mother church of the diocese, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita, but because the Cathedral is in the process of renovation, he will be ordained at his home parish.

“My bishop, vocation director, and the people of the diocese have been very patient with me as I discerned my vocation, it will be good to give back,” Green wrote via an email message from the Mount.

The seminarian, the son of John and Catherine Green, said being ordained at Holy Cross brings his life into a full circle. “My parish was where I first felt my call to the priesthood and the people have been tremendous in supporting me. I am very happy that my bishop is willing to ordain me there.”

Green said he is looking forward to preaching and baptizing babies. “I am especially excited to be a part of the Christmas liturgies as a deacon.”

The diocesan vocation director, Father Michael Simone, said he believes the last time an ordination to the priesthood was held outside of the Cathedral was around 1995, when a class of five men were ordained in parish churches because five was too many for the Cathedral.

“Now that the Cathedral is closed, we’ve shifted some of the ordinations to local parishes,” he said.

Father Simone, who, along with the rest of the diocese, has been blessed with nearly 50 young men studying for the priesthood, said it’s exciting to have the quality of young men that we have, “especially a young man like Ben Green who is willing to serve God one day in the near future as a deacon and also as a priest.”

As a result of the generosity of the faithful to the TOGETHER Vision, which in turn has resulted in the renovation work and the unavailability of the Cathedral, Father Simone said a unique opportunity has resulted.

“Bishop Jackels is actually able to go into the local community to ordain a man – which in certain respects has the symbolism of Ben being surrounded by the people in his local parish community who fostered his faith,” Father Simone said.

One of the goals of the TOGETHER Vision is to foster a sense of unity, a sense of a diocesan family, which is reflected by Bishop Jackels traveling to Hutchinson for the ordination, Father Simone added.

“Not everyone is able to travel from Hutchinson to Wichita – especially those who are elderly or may not have the means to come. It will allow them to experience this time of celebration in the heart of their local parish community.”

The goals of the TOGETHER Vision are to strengthen the oneness or community between parish and diocese; to deepen our practice of stewardship as a way of life, sharing responsibility for the mission of the Church; and to invite everyone to help fund seminarian education, Catholic formation programs and renovation of the Cathedral campus.