The Diocese of Phoenix, one of the nation’s fastest growing, has four new priests.
Fr. Nathan Blanchard, Fr. Paul Graupmann, F.H.S., Fr. Simon Ortiz, and Fr. Jeff Pooley were formally added to the fraternity of clergy during a Mass of Ordination celebrated by Bishop John Dolan at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Avondale, Ariz., Saturday (June 6).
Family and friends of the new priests made up the congregation of more than 1,800 worshippers, which also included priests, women religious, deacons, laity and seminarians who are part of the largest formation wave in diocesan history.
“The Holy Spirit is moving,” Bishop Dolan told the faithful. “The Lord is still breathing life into His Church. You four men are signs of that breath moving you and the Church here in Phoenix.”
After Office of Vocations Director Fr. Will Schmid presented the four as “worthy,” Bishop Dolan spoke briefly about each one.
“Brothers, your stories are beautifully different, but together they proclaim one truth: God acts first,” he said.
Recalling the day’s first reading, the bishop reminded the four that while they answered God’s call, it was He who chose them first.
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you,” states the book of the prophet Jeremiah.
Bishop Dolan told the ordinands, “Before you ever searched for God, He searched for you. Before you ever loved Him, He loved you. And before you ever chose Him, He chose you.”
“Brothers,” he continued, “there will be days in priesthood when you will feel tired, days when ministry feels heavy, days when the wounds of the world and even the wounds of the Church weigh upon you. And on those days, do not begin with yourself, begin with Him. Because priesthood is not sustained by your personality or your efficiency or your success. It is sustained by abiding in the love of Christ who forms you, and knows you, and dedicates you and appoints you.”
The four men then promised under the Holy Spirit’s guidance to serve faithfully their flocks and the Church, and to be united more closely to Christ each day. They also professed obedience to the bishop and his successors.
Each man then prostrated himself before the altar as the congregation sang in supplication to the saints of the Church.
“It’s a profound moment for the body of Christ to watch, be there with them and pray for them,” said St. Thomas Aquinas parishioner Matthew Scheller, who is scheduled this November to be ordained as a permanent deacon.
“For them, it’s an emptying; they’re giving everything; their lives. When they stand up, they are then representing Christ as servant. They’re changed,” he said.
Proud families, colleagues
What followed brought back memories for Christina Blanchard, Fr. Blanchard’s mother.
As dozens of priests lined up on the altar to bless their four new colleagues, Christina began flipping through visual images.
“I just started thinking of all the 38 years we have been in this diocese, and all the moments of Nathan’s encounters with all of these priests; at our parish, at various functions, and how all these people have impacted our lives, and that we all are connected as the body of Christ.”
Fr. Blanchard’s sister, Sr. Rene Noel Blanchard, O.P., was among the worshippers. She entered religious life with the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in 2010, making her final vows in 2018.
Fr. Blanchard’s father, Dcn. Greg Blanchard of San Francisco de Asis Parish in Flagstaff, Ariz., became emotional as he reflected on the just-concluded Mass.
“I’m just grateful for all that God’s done in all of our lives,” he said, tearing up
Other families and friends were touched as well.
Mary Graupmann, whose husband died two years ago, traveled from her home in South Dakota, where her son, Fr. Graupmann, F.H.S., grew up. By his admission, he had developed a “wild lifestyle,” uninvolved with the faith before a dramatic conversion as a young man.
“I am so extremely proud,” his mother beamed. “I couldn’t be happier for him. He was not holy growing up. But, he found the Lord. His passion was so great; so beautiful. As a mother, it makes my faith stronger.”
Jessica Graupmann, who was there from her San Diego, Ca., home, said it was a joyful day.
“Thinking back 10 years, I would not have pictured this moment. I’m so proud of him. He’s going to do amazing things. He has that personality that people are drawn to him. When he is passionate about something, he puts his all into it. He will put his all into being a priest,” she said.
As the Graupmanns spoke outside the parish hall, newly ordained Fr. Pooley was inside with his three new brother priests, administering first blessings to the faithful.
“It’s a beautiful day,” Fr. Pooley said. “So many friends and family are out. I just felt really blessed by the Lord, especially during the Ordination Mass … to celebrate the Mass for the first time with Bishop John, looking at all the people of God present, [sharing] the joy.”
‘A beautiful life’
On July 1, the new priests will step into their first assignments. Fr. Pooley will become parochial vicar at San Francisco de Asis Parish in Flagstaff. Fr. Blanchard will be parochial vicar at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Scottsdale, Ariz. Fr. Ortiz will become parochial vicar at St. Daniel the Prophet Parish in Scottsdale.
Essentially an assistant pastor, a parochial vicar performs the same ministerial and sacramental tasks as a pastor, but does not share a pastor’s administrative and financial responsibilities.
Fr. Graupmann, a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit, based in Laveen, Ariz., will continue serving the Native American community.
The friars are leading 20 couples in marriage preparation, and there are ministries to youth and to prisoners, as well as mission administration, said Fr. Antony Tinker, their community servant who leads the friars.
“He’ll be doing a little of everything,” Fr. Tinker said, adding that Fr. Graupmann has a gift for connecting with young people.
“A lot of them are fatherless,” he explained. “He’s disciplined, [and] he brings joy and levity that is so often needed for youth.”
All four new priests carry a “peaceful joy,” said Frederick Changho of St. Mary’s and St. Juan Diego Parish in Chandler, Ariz., where Fr. Ortiz served as a deacon last summer.
Changho said despite technology’s many benefits, it also has robbed many of quality, meaningful face-to-face socializing.
“That creates almost an atmosphere of worry, tension and anxiety, and people like [Fr. Ortiz] have that peace; that joy they carry themselves with that only the Lord can provide. The Church needs to encourage that warmth and community, and people gifted like [Fr. Ortiz] can do that.”
Abby Hess, youth minister at St. Mary’s in Chandler worked alongside the future Fr. Ortiz last year.
“He was so helpful, so humble, so involved in everything we did. He loved the people he worked with, and you could tell his calling was the priesthood because of his love for the Lord and his love to share that with other people.”
Fr. Ortiz’s and his colleagues’ ordinations have a message for the young, Hess said.
“Not only for my generation but for those coming up, it’s such an awesome reminder that following the Lord’s will for your life will bring you true peace, that it is cool to be a priest and it gives you so much joy.”
The numbers say the message is getting out. There are currently 48 seminarians in formation and another six applying.
“It’s an exciting time for the seminary,” said Fr. Paul Sullivan, rector of Nazareth Seminary, the diocese’s fully local seminary. “We’re blessed by good men who come forward.”
Fr. Schmid, who will take over as director of the diaconate this year, said, “The Lord’s doing a lot of good work” in the priesthood.
“This is a beautiful life. I’m excited for [these four men] to enter into it and the joy they’re going to encounter.”
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Watch the livestream of the Ordination Mass:
