Andrew Junker/CATHOLIC SUN

Keith Kenney, Scott Sperry and Dan Vanyo took the next step on their road to the priesthood July 28 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.

Three seminarians move closer to life as priests

The road to the priesthood is taken with many steps. Recently, three seminarians from the Diocese of Phoenix progressed on theirs by entering into the order of acolyte and accepting their candidacy of holy orders.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted celebrated the rites of admission July 28 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center for Dan Vanyo — who became an acolyte — Keith Kenney and Scott Sperry, both of whom were admitted for a candidacy of holy orders.

“There are so many ways that God is calling us to serve Him as His ministers,” Bishop Olmsted said during his homily.

The Gospel passage included the parable of the man who finds the pearl of great price and sells everything he owns to obtain it. Bishop Olmsted likened the following of a vocation to the parable.

“Only a person of faith sees the Kingdom of God,” he said. “Once we discover and find the treasure, we see Him everywhere. This is why a man might be ready to become a candidate for priestly ordination.”

For seminarian Sperry, the ceremony was both a confirmation and encouragement.

“To be a candidate is a blessing and the next step in furthering my vocation,” he said. “It’s a rite of the Church where we are saying yes to our vocation and yes to pursuing that.”

Sperry’s parents, Don and Carla, described the day as joyful and filled with pride. They said it was one more marker for them in seeing the development of their son’s vocation.

The admission of Dan Vanyo to the ministry of acolyte has a mandate that’s a bit more specific. Once a minor order, an acolyte’s main duty is to serve at the altar. It’s also the last step before a seminarian is ordained a transitional deacon.

True to his new station, after kneeling before Bishop Olmsted during the admission rite, Vanyo served him at the altar, bringing him the water and wine, and offering him the bowl to clean his fingers.

While the Mass saw three men move closer to the fulfillment of their vocations, it also served as a reminder to every Christian what Christ asks of them in the Gospel, the bishop said.

“With joy and gratitude we come here today, giving thanks to God for leading us to seek, to find, to renounce and to possess the pearl of great price,” he said.