In addition to the seven men being ordained for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on Saturday, three Mount St. Mary’s Seminary graduates will be ordained to serve elsewhere.

Alson on Saturday, Deacon Jason Bertke of the Diocese of Covington will be ordained at 10 a.m. in St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky. On June 4 Deacon Thomas Reagan, C.P.M., will be ordained a priest for the Fathers of Mercy at 10 a.m. in the Chapel of Divine Mercy  in Auburn, Kentucky. On June 25 Deacon Jeffrey Smith of the Diocese of Toledo will be ordained at 11 a.m. in Our Lady Queen of the Holy Rosary Cathedral  in downtown Toledo.

Meet the Mount St. Mary’s graduates who will serve other dioceses below:

Deacon Jason Bertke – Diocese of Covington

Family: Deacon Bertke is the son of Robert and Cathy Bertke. He has two siblings, Nicole and Robert. The Bertke family are members of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption Parish, Covington. Deacon Bertke is a 2007 graduate of Thomas More College where he received his bachelor of arts degree. In 2011 he entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West, Cincinnati, as a seminarian for the Diocese of Covington.

What are you looking forward to in priestly ministry?
“I’m just excited to go wherever God is calling me and I hope to serve his people well,” he said. “I look forward to leading people back to God and showing his unfailing to mercy to all who have been wounded by sin.”

For more on Deacon Bertke, see the May 13 edition of the Diocese of Covington Messenger, available HERE.

Deacon Thomas Reagan – Fathers of Mercy

The following excerpts are reprinted with permission from FathersofMercy.com

Family: I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and Cincinnati, the oldest of three children.

How did you experience the calling to become a priest?
One evening, not long after I graduated, I was praying in front of the Eucharist in Adoration. I began to consider the positives of being a married man (for I had a serious girlfriend at the time) versus those of being a priest.

Rather suddenly, an idea struck me, and I asked the Lord: “Wait, do You want me to become a priest?” This question surprised me internally—it was so unexpected! But what surprised me even more was that I found myself attracted to the idea.

For Brother Thomas Reagan’s full vocation story, click HERE.

Deacon Jeffrey Smith – Diocese of Toledo

Family: (Dad: Jim Smith) – Farmer  (Mom: Elaine Smith) – retired from retail business/stay at home mom  (Sister: Alicia Smith)

Parish: St. Mary Parish – Tiffin, Ohio.

What was the process that led you to pursue the priesthood?
First off I called up the associate pastor at my home parish and told him that I thought I may have a calling to the priesthood. After that I was guided in my discernment by being introduced to various books and prayers. The priest taught me how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and that is really what gave me a solid anchor in my relationship with our Lord. While meeting with this priest he introduced me to 5 other men who were also discerning the priesthood. We would meet at the rectory and discuss various things Catholic. After meeting these men and seeing how great men they were I myself wanted to also grow closer to the Lord. Then I soon went through the application process and entered the seminary in the fall of 2008.

How as being a deacon (or your practical internship) influenced the type of priest that you will be?
I knew that theology and the liturgy are extremely important in the Catholic faith, and I still believe this whole heartily. Yet, during my internship year I noticed that you can only be effective in sharing these wonderful truths of God if you first give the people the love of God. I could preach flawless theology until my face is blue, but if I don’t first love the people I serve the things I teach will never bear fruit.

For more on  Deacon Smith, click HERE.

Other Profiles (Date published)
Deacon Chris Geiger (May 16)
Deacon Sean Wilson (May 16)
Deacon Timothy Fahey (May 17)
Deacon Jason Williams (May 17)
Deacon Alex McCullough (May 18)
Deacon Matt Feist (May 19)
Deacon Eric Roush (May 19)