This past Saturday, Erin and I and our family had the privilege of witnessing the ordination of our good friend, Chris Korte, to the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Jefferson City. Chris was part of a class of thirteen men who will, no doubt, serve our diocese well.
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- courtesy of Jay Nies and the Catholic Missourian
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- courtesy of Jay Nies and the Catholic Missourian
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- courtesy of Jay Nies and the Catholic Missourian
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- courtesy of Jay Nies and the Catholic Missourian
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- courtesy of Jay Nies and the Catholic Missourian
Erin and I have been very close to Chris, his wife Katy, and their family for a very long time. Erin met Chris when he started dating her good friend, Katy, back in college. Chris and Katy were already married when Erin and I met, and they have been a great example of marriage and friendship to us ever since. We are so excited for Chris and his family and ask that you join us in keeping them in your prayers.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s website has an FAQ page about deacons. The first question asks, “Who is a Deacon?” Part of the answer written reads ‘Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served.” It has been my great honor to know many deacons who I believe embody those last few words, which are paraphrased from Mark 10:45. This list includes my Uncle Pete Cerneka, John Neudecker (a good friend and our parish deacon), and my Father-in-Law, Dan Ramsay. In my view, these men continuously live as examples of what it means to say “yes” to the call of Jesus, and I am grateful for them.
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- My uncle, Pete Cerneka (with the crucifix). (courtesy of St. Joseph Parish, Lebanon, IL)
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- John Neudecker (left), and my father-in-law, Dan Ramsay. (courtesy of Kay Neudecker)
Please pray for and support those in our Church trying in earnest to live their vocations. Please also continue to pray that all Christians, you and I included, remain always open to what God may be calling us to do and be.
-Shannon
Also, in a somewhat related note, Chris is a percussionist who has been part of past variations of the Oddwalk band. Stay tuned late this month as the Oddwalk band sacrament-a-palooza continues. Dan and Katie, our bass player and his fiancee, get married May 18th!