July 9, 2010
The Story of TEC
‘I will show you my faith by what I do’ and the plan began at TEC!
Father Jason Gries hugs his nieces who came to Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Vincennes on the weekend of Father Jason’s sixth anniverary of ordination. They are Aubree, 4, Alyssa, 3 and Adalyn, 11 months, the children of Jaime and Matt Beyer of Evansville. Father Jason’s parents Darla and Bernie Gries also helped celebrate the anniversary. (Message photo courtesy Zoe Cannon) Click for a larger version.
By ZOE CANNON (Sacred Heart Church, Vincennes)
Fourth in a series
“When I cried out, you answered; you strengthened my spirit.”
— Psalm 138:3
Most of us have experienced a time when our hearts were comforted by these words. There is a common theme in this fourth article in a series of TEC stories. The Paschal Mystery, observed during a TEC weekend is
Christ’s work of redemption accomplished principally by his Passion, death, Resurrection and glorious Ascension. “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat, but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24) The vocation journey of Father Jason Gries illustrates this perfectly. As a faithful servant, his story is a witness of dying, rising, and going forth.
In November 1995, Jason Gries made his first TEC as a junior in high school. Not certain he wanted to participate, he later learned that his parents had registered him before he was actually eligible to attend. Their intuitiveness appears to be providential, and since that first encounter, many TEC weekends have followed with various roles. Among his many duties as a Catholic priest in our diocese, presently, Father Gries is the Chaplain for the TEC Movement. He credits TEC as playing a major role in his faith journey and discernment to the priesthood. Growing up in St. Joseph parish, Vanderburgh County in the Evansville West Deanery Father Jason recalls the volunteer youth ministers who were instrumental in providing an environment and opportunity for growing up in the faith with activities and monthly youth Masses. Among these influential people was Mary Ann Zenthoefer, “Mama Z” the mother of Father Alex Zenthoefer, the Vocation Director for our diocese with Father Jason as associate director. The fathers are very good friends and together they are known for their comedic skits and humor, in addition to their priestly gifts.
When Father Jason was a high school altar server at his home parish, Father Dick Wildeman gave him responsibilities over and above the usual duties. Then, in 1995, Jason Gries met a seminarian named Tom Coogan at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico where they both attended a backpacking/leadership experience in the St. George Trek. Three years later they returned to Philmont as the now ordained “Father Tom” and “Jason the seminarian.” Fate brought them together, and hours of conversation and prayer confirmed Father Jason’s desire to serve as a Catholic priest.
Father Bernie Etienne also played a part in the development of his Catholic faith and his vocation. Through TEC there were opportunities to meet Father Bernie and other priests outside their role at church. In return, the TEC weekends connected him to even more church involvement.
It appeared many people saw something very special in the young Jason Gries. His plan mid-way through high school was to become a medical doctor, specifically in family practice. He had already job-shadowed doctors during high school where he graduated from F.J. Reitz High School in 1996. In 1997, after one year at Wabash College, in Crawfordsville, he gave up a scholarship and his plans for a medical career to discern the call to priesthood. The path of living the Paschal Mystery was just beginning as he began the process of dying to self.
In April of 1997, the college at St. Meinrad Archabbey, where he planned to continue his education, closed. Once again relinquishing his own plans, he followed the direction of then Vocations Director for the Evansville Diocese, Father Bernie Etienne, who recommended St. John Vianney College Seminary, on the campus of the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minn.
Father Jason remarks, “It was like praying the litany of saints just to explain where I went to school.” This venture, over 11 hours from home, provided an opportunity to study in Rome for a semester as well as the seemingly crazy idea — at the end of his junior year in 1999, to ride a bike home to Evansville from St. Paul with his friend Alex Zenthoefer and 10 other seminarians. They called the trip “biking for Jesus” and they stopped at local parishes along the way speaking about vocations and specifically priesthood.
He was interested in attending Mundelein Seminary of the Archdiocese of Chicago, after graduating from St. John Vi-anney in 2000, but was sent to St. Meinrad School of Theology for his final studies to the priesthood. This also proved to be a blessing as he was able to work more TEC weekends as a seminarian.
Ordained a priest on June 5, 2004, Father Jason spent time as an associate pastor of St. John in Newburgh and Holy Redeemer in Evansville, before his journey brought him into my life at Sacred Heart in Vincennes. Once again there was a tough decision to be made and trust in God’s guidance to accept a position as a first-time pastor for not one, but two parishes, so early in his priesthood. As anyone will tell you, the parishes of Sacred Heart and St. Philip Neri in Bicknell, Indiana, were dying and rising themselves at this time of transition, and have been blessed by the leadership of this young priest. Through-out Father Jason’s life and vocational story, he has experienced the beauty of dying, rising and going forth. His sacrifice, obedience and ministry are indeed an example of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ.
Father Jason recently attended a workshop in Missouri for chaplains of the Teens Encoun-ter Christ Movement and on July 24-26, he will serve as the Spiritual Director for TEC #74 at St. Mary in Ireland.
With genuine compassion and love he stated, “Working with TEC continues to keep the concerns of young people in front of me and it gives me hope.”
Working with Father Jason in my faith community gives me more than hope; it gives me an understanding of the Paschal Mystery and the proof of God’s love for us.
Continue to pray for Father Jason, the success of TEC and all vocations.
“When I cried out, you an-swered; you strengthened my spirit.” Amen!