June 17, 2011

Brian Emmick, Jeff Read

Two diocesan seminarians to be ordained to diaconate June 18

Brian Emmick, left, and Jeff Read, right, will be ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 18. Click for a larger version.

By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)

Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger will preside at the ordination of transitional deacons at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 18, at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville. They are seminarians Brian Emmick and Jeff Read who will begin their fourth year of theology studies at St. Meinrad in the fall.

BRIAN EMMICK

When Brian Emmick talks about his upcoming diaconate ordination, he reflects on a journey that has brought him to this place and time, and he remembers “a series of calls.”

“The call can be filled with dramatic events or inner turmoil, but it can also be like a long walk with an old friend.”

He was born in Evansville, the son of Bill and Candy Emmick, faithful Methodists. “My religious background planted the first seed. My family, even as Protestants, often visited the monasteries of St. Meinrad and Gethsemane when I was a child.” He considers those visits part of his “spiritual formation”; they became not only some of his first memories but also “the first call.”

His “second call” occurred when he was attending Harrison High School in Evansville and felt “drawn to the beauty and truth of the Catholic Church.” Both he and his mother joined the Catholic Church. His dad remained a Methodist, and “supportive of my journey to the Catholic faith.”

“The journey of conversion, going through the RCIA, experiencing the sacraments for this first time at the Easter Vigil, were profound moments in my life.

“This planted another seed in drawing me to the priesthood.”

During his college years at USI, he began to discern the call to priesthood “as my spiritual life grew. I began to get involved in discernment groups and retreats.” He also began “discerning” his call through spiritual direction.

“Many priests of the diocese were able to provide good mentoring, and give an example of what living priesthood means, such as Father Joe Ziliak. I knew that I had to give seminary a try. The decision to enter seminary, which is a very different experience, requires some trust into this leap, into this unknown.”

He chose St. Meinrad Seminary, and found that life there could be “very demanding.”

“Often seminary is imagined as simply a place to study and pray. It is this, but it is also more. The seminary is a place that is constantly challenging one to grow in one’s relationship to Christ. I am very indebted to St. Meinrad Seminary for this growth.”

He added, “My seminary has provided many challenges and opportunities of living in an intense community.”

During his summers as a seminarian, he has spent time living and working in parishes in the Jasper Deanery, working as a hospital chaplain at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, and with various ministries at both Catholic Charities and campus ministries. “All these experiences of formation deepen one’s relationship to God and deepen one’s love for all of the people of God.”

This coming Saturday, he will be ordained to the diaconate. He says, “It’s a humbling sacrament for me.”

As the day approaches he can feel a weight on his shoulders. “This weight is the responsibility to serve in the name of the Church. Your ministry is not your private ministry. One makes promises to serve, and to be present to the people of God. To be able to serve at the altar and to preach the word is also very humbling.”

He added, “The weight is felt, but in another sense these demands are also a joy.”

He said that his parents are “very supportive of my vocation. I am very appreciative of this.”

JEFF READ

Jeff is the son of William and Bernadine Read, and he has attended Tecumseh High School, Ivy Tech, Bishop Bruté College Seminary at Marian University in Indianapolis, and St. Meinrad Seminary.

He says his call to the priesthood began while attending Ivy Tech State College. “It was near the end of my time there that I began to discover the richness of our Catholic faith.

“I grew up Catholic, but I did not always understand the necessity of it. It was through a colleague, a co-worker and some family members that I began to see the gift of our faith. Through learning the history of the Church, the reality of the Eucharist, and Christ as God becoming man, I began to have a greater desire to learn more while living a Christian life.

“It wasn’t long after this that I began growing in my desire for the priesthood.”

He admits that “sure, I was a little hesitant at first” because it was obviously a “strong vocational change” in his life. “Though through prayer, I believe God began to instill in me the grace and desire to not only make the decision but to live the life as a man preparing for the priesthood.”

He says his experience of seminary life has been “one of joy while being marked with many experiences and challenges.

“I began in college seminary at Bishop Brute College Seminary in Indianapolis. At that time it was on the campus of Marian College, now Marian University. I was formed and learned many things about liturgy, prayer, philosophy, theology and human development. I was there for three years and graduated in 2008.”

He continued his studies at the master’s level at St. Meinrad Seminary. “Here, I continue to focus on the four pillars of seminary formation, which are areas of study and personal formation. For example, learning prayer which is a spiritual pillar. Growing in leadership skills which is a human pillar. Learning scripture which is an intellectual pillar, and learning marriage prep techniques which is a pastoral pillar.”

Recently, Read and his fellow seminarians “have begun practicing the ministries that we will begin as deacons: preaching, baptizing, assisting at Mass, officiating at weddings and an overall ministry of service to the people of God.”

They are also “learning Canon Law, marriage counseling, and even fraternity building” which are “among the many ways we are being prepared for diocesan priesthood. Until then I look forward to diaconate ministry. I am especially excited about preaching. I look forward to growing in this area as well as others before entering my final year of seminary in August.”

He explained that the diaconate ordination is being held in June “because St. Meinrad has chosen to ordain after Easter and before the fourth year of seminary. This allows deacons to practice their ministry for a year before priesthood ordination.