Three to be ordained to the priesthood

MADISON — Deacons Jared Holzhuter, Andrew Showers, and Luke Syse will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison on Friday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison.

Everyone is invited to attend.

St. Maria Goretti is wheelchair accessible. There will be assistive-listening devices for the hard-of-hearing and a sign language interpreter for the deaf. Large-print leaflets will be available.

Rev. Mr. Jared Holzhuter

Parents: Tammie and John Holzhuter of Janesville, Wis.

Home parish: St. John Vianney Parish, Janesville

Grade school: Harrison Elementary School, Janesville; Marshall Middle School, Janesville

High school: Craig High School, Janesville

College/degree: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bachelor of Arts in English

Seminary/degrees: Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Mich., Bachelor of Philosophy, Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB), Master of Divinity

Intern experiences: St. Henry and St. Bernard Parishes, Watertown; St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee, and St. Mary of the Lake, Parish, Westport; Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Beloit

Deacon placement: Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Sun Prairie, and St. Mary Parish, Royal Oak, Mich.

Clinical pastoral experience: St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Warren, Mich.

First Mass of Thanksgiving: Saturday, July 1, 10:30 a.m., St. John Vianney Church, Janesville

Assignment after ordination: Parochial vicar, St. Joseph Parish, Baraboo, and chaplain, Camp Gray

Reflections on ordination to the priesthood: I ought to be forever grateful for all that God has done for me so that I may know my vocation and begin to live it out. God has put into my life so many people who have given their lives to Jesus Christ and his Church, and without them, I would never have met Christ or known of his goodness. Most especially, I am grateful for my parents and my family, who have taught me what it means to be a son. I now look forward to learning what it means be a spiritual father.

Rev. Mr. Andrew Showers

Parents: Pam and David Showers, Madison, Wis.

Home parish: Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona

Grade school: Schenk Elementary School, Madison; Whitehorse Middle School, Madison

High school: La Follette High School, Madison

College/degree: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Bachelor’s degree in architecture

Seminary/degrees: Pre-Theology at St. Paul’s Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.; Major Seminary at the Pontifical North American College, Rome; Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB), Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) (in progress)

Intern experiences: St. Mary Parish, Pine Bluff, and St. Ignatius Parish, Mt. Horeb; Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona; Parrochia de San Francesco di Assisi, Verona, Italy; and St. Cecilia Parish, Wisconsin Dells

Deacon placement: Santa Susana American Community in Rome, Rome, Italy

First Mass of Thanksgiving: Sunday, July 2, 2 p.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Monona

Assignment after ordination: Parochial vicar, St. Cecilia Parish, Wisconsin Dells, with subsequent return for the 2017-2018 academic year to continuing Licentiate studies while residing at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

Reflections on ordination to the priesthood: Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbuum tuum. I am truly excited to begin this next chapter of God’s plan for my life in service to the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. I am grateful for family and friends that have walked with me and supported me along the journey. I would also like to thank the many priests who were witnesses and models to the joy of the priesthood and the love for Christ’s Church. Most of all, I am grateful to God for the immense gift and call to share in the priesthood of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the midst of six years of prayer and study, there have been many ups and downs, joys and sorrows, yet I am confident of God’s perpetual presence in every moment along the way and the Blessed Mother always helping to keep my eyes fixed on her Son. I look forward to learning from and working alongside the priests of the diocese as we collaborate with the bishop to build up the Kingdom of God in the Diocese of Madison. Please pray for me, and be assured of my love and prayers for all of you.

Rev. Mr. Luke Syse

Parents: Patricia and James Syse of Blanchardville, Wis.

Home parish: St. Isidore Parish (Immaculate Conception), Blanchardville

Grade school: Pecatonica Grade School, Hollandale

High school: Pecatonica High School, Blanchardville

College/degree: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bachelor of Science in biological systems engineering

Seminary/degrees: Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Mich., Bachelor of Philosophy; Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB)

Intern experiences: St. Christopher Parish, Verona; St. John the Baptist Parish, Montello; St. Martin of Tours Parish, Valle di Cadore, Italy; St. Joseph Parish, Dodgeville

Deacon placement: St. Bernard Parish, Madison

First Mass of Thanksgiving: Saturday, July 1, 4 p.m., St. Patrick Church, Hollandale; Sunday, July 2, 10 a.m., St. Bernard Church, Madison

Assignment after ordination: Parochial vicar, St. Paul University Parish, Madison

Reflections on ordination to the priesthood: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). In these words Jesus gives us a summary of his life and mission. In the last six years, I have been the recipient of many services provided by Jesus through his Church and the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Now, as ordination approaches, I give thanks for all of God’s benefits, most especially the gift of faith and of a vocation to the Holy Priesthood. “The Priesthood,” said St. Jean Vianney, “is the love of the heart of Jesus Christ.” This love impels me to follow Jesus into making of my own life one of service to the Church. My greatest joy is that the Father is always working to draw us into a closer union with Christ his Son. Please keep Andrew, Jared, and me in your prayers that we might always be joyful priests, burning with the love of Christ and sustained by the constant and powerful intercession of Mary, the Mother of Priests.