Minimum of spectacle, maximum of faith – 14 seminarians receive Rite of Candidacy
Fourteen seminarians are questioned by Bishop Michael Olson during the Rite of Candidacy at Mass on the 18th Sunday of Ordinary time on August 4, 2024, at St. Mark Church. Their admission to candidacy marks the seminarians' entering the final stage of formation. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)
ARGYLE — Without a thurible of burning incense, without an anointing with holy oil, Bishop Michael Olson administered the Rite of Candidacy to 14 seminarians on Sunday, August 4, in a rite he described “lacks spectacle but is rich in faith.”
During the Mass at St. Mark Parish in Argyle, surrounded by the congregation and the families of seminarians, the 14 men rose and stood at the steps before the altar, stating “I do” to public resolutions to complete their preparation to assume ministry within the Church and to prepare themselves to give faithful service to Christ and His Church.
The Rite of Candidacy, Bishop Olson explained, marks the end of the second stage of seminarian formation and the entry into the final stage.
The first stage a seminarian passes through is called the propaedeutic, or introductory, stage.
The second stage of discipleship is a period of encountering and being conformed to Jesus through prayer, study, ministry, and growth in self-awareness.
Wearing the Roman collar is a visible sign of the third stage, known as the configuration stage.
Bishop Olson elaborated on the distinction between conformity and configuration.
“Conformity to Jesus Christ through discipleship is something that is offered by Christ to all of the baptized. Yet, the priesthood of Jesus Christ requires more than conformity. … Configuration to Christ is a deep internal and mature freedom that is developed throughout the final stage of seminary formation. Configuration requires the seminarian to prepare to accept the mind and heart of Christ as his own — to lay down his life for the sheep of His fold,” the bishop said.
In the past, the Rite of Candidacy often was celebrated at the seminaries before the diaconate year, in a liturgy absent family and the faithful of the home diocese. Now the diocese celebrates the Rite of Candidacy while the men are in their home diocese on summer break, a change appreciated by Quang Nguyen, a second-year theology student at Catholic University of America.
“It was nice to have it here in a church in the diocese where we intend to be a priest,” he said, surrounded by faithful who have been praying for the vocations of the seminarians.
The resolution to prepare in mind and spirit to faithfully serve Christ gave Nguyen “a sense of conviction, remembering what a vocation to the priesthood is about. It felt like an indication that I am on the right track,” he continued.
In addition to the 14 seminarians who received the Rite of Candidacy, Deacon Isaac McCracken read the Gospel, and younger seminarians served as readers and acolytes.
Joy Medley, the parish director of liturgy, RCIA, and sacramental preparation, welcomed parishioners, seminarians and their families, Bishop Olson, and Vicar General Father Jonathan Wallis to St. Mark Church at the beginning of Mass. Afterwards, she reflected, “It was beautiful to see the future of the Church all together, to see all the men moving forward into the next phase of their formation.”
Nanette Thompson, a member of St. Jude Parish in Mansfield, is the mother of Blake Thompson, who begins his eighth year of formation this month and is scheduled to be ordained to the transitional diaconate next March.
She was heartened by seeing so many seminarians. “We are always praying for more priests. It is nice to see so many in formation,” she said.
The 14 seminarians who received the Rite of Candidacy are Blake Thompson, Trent Barton, Paul Trinh, Jeffrey Ambreit-Quepons, Robert Weisberg, Michael Marincel, Quang Nguyen, Javier Escutia, Jesus Segura, Nicholas Hoelscher, Lane Tschirhart, Xavier Polisetty, Jacob Zimmerer, and Peter Nguyen.
Later this month, Trent Barton and Paul Trinh will begin their pastoral year at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Arlington and St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Flower Mound, respectively. The other 12 will study theology at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., or Assumption Seminary in San Antonio.
Fourteen seminarians pose with Bishop Michael Olson after the Rite of Candidacy at Mass on the 18th Sunday of Ordinary time on August 4, 2024, at St. Mark Church. Their admission to candidacy marks the seminarians' entering the final stage of formation. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)