On April 26, 2025, in a moment both extraordinary and deeply personal, Chris Jasek and his son Daniel will be ordained to the diaconate: Chris as a permanent deacon and Daniel as a transitional deacon on the path toward the priesthood.

A resident of Dayton’s southern suburbs since 1996 and a lifelong Catholic, Chris Jasek, with his wife, Denise, has raised five children in the faith, all of whom attended Bishop Leibold Elementary School then Alter High School. He began his journey to the diaconate more than 15 years ago but put it on hold while he and Denise focused on raising their family. When the timing felt right in 2018, he entered the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program, a prerequisite for diaconate formation, and was officially accepted into formation in 2022.

“I feel like our Lord is asking me to serve Him and the Church by being a deacon,” Chris said. “I’ve been blessed to lead and participate in many ministries as a layperson; but it seems the Lord is asking me to take on a more public-facing role in the Church. I’m just trying my best to respond to the Holy Spirit and I’m excited to live the adventure of where the Lord is taking me.”

Daniel’s vocation journey began at the University of Notre Dame. There he encountered Christ’s love in a new and powerful way while working in a summer service program with the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago. His experience with these sisters inspired a deeper prayer life and a renewed commitment to discerning God’s will.

“I was given a new realization that being Catholic is not just about gritting your teeth and following a bunch of rules, but is about a life-giving encounter with Jesus that leads to great happiness both here on earth and in heaven,” Daniel said. “I had a deep desire to give my life to something truly meaningful and the work that a priest does to save souls was very attractive to me and clearly something worth laying down my life for.”

After a brief time working as a web developer, Daniel entered seminary, fully trusting in God’s plan.

Faith and service run deep in the Jasek family. Daniel’s sister Maria is a missionary in Honduras, his sister Elizabeth is a novice with the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and his maternal grandfather, Deacon Jim Berch, will celebrate 25 years of diaconal ministry this October.

While neither father nor son anticipated this journey together, both recognize it as a testament to God’s providence. “I never could have dreamt that we would both be ordained deacons at the same Mass,” Chris said. “It is a blessing beyond belief and an honor.”

“Becoming a deacon conforms a man to Christ the Servant,” said Daniel, “It is an honor and a joy to approach holy orders alongside the man who taught me so much about what it means to pour oneself out for the salvation of others. It will be a gift to preach alongside the man who preached the Gospel to me both through his words and with his life.”

On the day of ordination, the Jasek family will gather in celebration of two men answering God’s call. Their story is not just one of personal vocation, but also a witness to the power of faith within the family. “We are not all called to be deacons,” Chris said, “but we are all called to follow God.”

Editor’s Note: The Ordination of the Permanent Diaconate and the Transitional Diaconate will be Saturday, April 26 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati at 11:00 a.m.. Celebrant will be Archbishop Robert G. Casey.