Priestly Ordination During the Pandemic

By: Denise Hummel, Director of Seminarian Support

Words shared from Father Joseph Baltz

We are thankful and pleased to share that, despite the 2020 pandemic, eight ordination masses for the AMS co-sponsored seminarians were successfully held this summer. On Saturday, May 30, Deacon Joseph Baltz, surrounded by family and friends, was ordained.  Archbishop John C. Wester led the celebration and thanked Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio for his support and attendance on this special day.

Before the ordination mass began, Archbishop Wester shared, “Let us remember the words of Saint John Paul II:  ‘Home is the first seminary.’   Today I thank the family of Deacon Joseph Baltz for doing a good job!”  

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Recently, Father Joseph Baltz was asked to share about his journey to the priesthood.  As you continue to pray for all of our promised priests, remember your home may very well be the ‘first seminary’ to a future priest, too.  

How challenging was it to be ordained during the 2020 pandemic?  

I was ordained on May 30th, and it was glorious. The preparation for the ordination on the other hand was quite annoying. The frustrating thing about it was that because of the fluctuating policies at the time, the Archdiocese nor the Cathedral knew if we were even going to have it on the scheduled date. Once we got that squared away, then the issue was about attendees and how many there could be. I was blessed with the Governor allowing a 25% capacity shortly before my ordination, which meant that I could have 100 attend. Then in that short time I had to make the hard decision of who to invite and who not to, after that I had to send out all the invitations with only a week or so to spare.  

It was very difficult trying to prepare spiritually for ordination and not being able to receive communion once I came back from Seminary since our churches were closed. Also, the devil didn’t give me any breaks leading up to that blessed day. But in the end, the good bishop laid his hands and me and I was ordained, so what does all that other stuff matter?

Would you be willing to share your vocation story with us?

I got the idea of becoming a priest when I was five. For some reason (grace) the idea stuck with me through middle school and even high school. I was blessed with a good youth program at my Church during that time and the retreats I went on and friendships I developed with other Catholic  kids who wanted to take their faith seriously greatly helped me foster my vocation to the priesthood.  I entered seminary right after highschool and the rest is history.