Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, on far right, at his May 19 ordination. (Photo (c) fssp.org - Priestly Fraternity of S. Peter)This spring OLSWA rejoiced as two alumni, Fr. Kenneth Walker (’05) and Fr. Benjamin Weber (’06), were ordained to the priesthood and are now priests forever “according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6).” Fr. Kenneth Walker, a member of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, was ordained on May 19, 2012, with four other young men. They were ordained by His Excellency Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz in the beautiful Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska. On May 26, 2012, in the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, His Excellency Bishop Gerard P. Bergie ordained Fr. Ben Weber and Fr. Chad Grennan for St. Catharine’s diocese in Ontario. 

Through this sacrament of Holy Orders these young men are now consecrated and called to act ‘in persona Christi Capitis’ (in the person of Christ the Head), bringing the Sacraments to Christ’s Church. The joy of this vocation shone in Fr. Ben’s smile as he gave his first priestly blessings. In answering the Divine call to the priesthood Fr. Kenneth and Fr. Ben gave a resounding ‘yes’ to God’s will. 

Bishop Bergie confers Holy Orders on Fr. Ben Weber.As His Excellency Bishop Bergie noted in his homily at Fr. Ben’s ordination, this ‘yes’ answered the question that Jesus posed to Peter in John 21, “Do you love me?” Christ called in love, and these men have responded by choosing to live out their yes to God daily in joyful, loving dedication to Christ and His Church. 

As each priest gave his first priestly blessing, he handed out cards of remembrance. Fr. Ben’s cards fittingly quoted John 2:5, “Jesus’ mother said to the servants, ‘do whatever He tells you.’” Fr. Ben, Fr. Kenneth and all other priests are doing what ‘He is telling them to do.’ They are living out an apostleship of love. As the Curé of Ars states, “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.” 

Let us keep Fr. Ben, Fr. Kenneth and all priests in our thoughts and prayers, thanking God for them daily.

Click here to read a short article about Fr. Ben Weber which appeared in Catholic New York (Fr. Ben studied at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, NY.)

 

Click here to view photos of the ordination of Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP.

 

 

Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, gives a first blessing to Bishop Bruskewitz. Fr. Ben Weber gives a first blessing to OLSWA professor Scott Nicholson.

 

Fr. Kenneth Walker with fellow current and former OLSWA students, Patrick McNeely ('14), Rene Holt, FSSP ('09), and Maura (McNeely,'10) Baklinski at the reception at the McNeely home in NE.  Fr. Ben giving a first blessing to fellow OLSWA alumni, Joseph Platt ('07). 

 

 OLSWA is gives thanks to God and to Our Lady for the religious vocations embraced by our former students:
 

- Fr. Ben Weber’s twin brother Jesse (’06) is now Brother Luke with the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming.
- Scott Murray (’08), Michael Lund (’08), Anthony Burchat (’08), and Matthew Hatchen (’12) are all seminarians for the Diocese of Pembroke.

- Rene Holt, FSSP ('09), is a seminiarian with the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in Nebraska.

- Brother Patrick Giguere, LC (’06) is a seminarian with the Legionaries of Christ.

- Mary Beth Anderson (’06) is now Sr. Mary Regina, O. Cist. at the Valley of Our Lady Monastery in Wisconsin.

- Maggie Dorris (’10), now Sr. Mary Magdalene, is a novice, also at the Cistercian Valley of Our Lady Monastery in Wisconsin.

- Kelly Sanders (’08) is a novice with a Spanish order (now studying in Rome).

- Shelby Glofcheskie (’10) is a postulant with the Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate in Cambridge, ON.