Alumnus Nicholas Blank ‘13 will be ordained to the transitional diaconate this coming month, when Bishop Michael Burbidge ordains him for ministry in the Diocese of Arlington as he prepares for ordination to the priesthood.
Nicholas Blank (’13) will be ordained to the transitional diaconate next month.
Blank, who majored in philosophy at Christendom and is in his third year of theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, will be ordained on June 2 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, Virginia.
“I don’t always want to be a priest, but I feel called by God and can’t leave Him hanging…It really is awesome that God in His Providence has a plan for me that will bring me the fullness of happiness, and I would be ungenerous if I didn’t return to God the life He has so generously given me,” said Blank in an interview with the Arlington Catholic Herald. “That He would want me to be a priest to His people is thrilling and humbling.”
Blank is part of a rich history of alumni who have joined the religious life after graduating from Christendom, including 83priests, 54 sisters, 5 brothers, 2 transitional deacons, 1 permanent deacon, and 28 men currently studying for the priesthood. His first Mass as a deacon will be on Sunday, June 3, at 8:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish in Gainesville, Virginia.
Twenty percent of those currently studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Arlington are Christendom alumni, while 15 current Arlington priests calling Christendom their alma mater (Fr. Matthew Zuberbueler, Fr. Kevin Walsh, Fr. Michael Taylor, Fr. Francis Peffley, Fr. Carroll Oubre, Fr. Vincent Bork, Fr. Joseph Farrell, Fr. Bjorn Lundberg, Fr. Stephen McGraw, Fr. Joseph Kenna, Fr. John Heisler, Fr. Denis Donahue, Fr. Kevin Beres, Fr. Thomas Vander Woude, Fr. Noah Morey).