Ordination draws several from diocese and beyond

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
January 26, 2006

Several people including parishioners from the Diocese of Sioux City and the Archdiocese of Denver and family and friends of Bishop R. Walker Nickless gathered for his episcopal ordination on Jan. 20 at the Church of the Nativity in Sioux City.

Jason Faris, a parishioner from the Archdiocese of Denver, attended the ordination as a friend of Bishop Nickless.

"I met the bishop when I entered the seminary in 1997. He interviewed me in Denver before I was accepted into the seminary," said Faris.

He explained that the ordination was the "fulfillment of a dream. Every since I have known Walker Nickless, I had always thought that he would be a bishop one day. This is really something I have thought about and prayed about for years."

"Some people say you don't want to be a bishop, but I think deep in his heart he always felt called to that," said Faris. "It was more a matter of time is how most of us in Denver felt."

Faris felt privileged and honored to be a witness to the ceremony on Jan. 20. As soon as he found out that Bishop Nickless was asked to be a bishop, he couldn't wait until the day came.

"This is something I have been looking forward to since the announcement," said Faris. "The greatest thing about the bishop, since I have seen the other side of him, is he is a very human person. He is very approachable, very affectionate. He has a great sense of humor. I consider him one of my great friends."

He continued that Bishop Nickless is a great spiritual confidant and was Faris' spiritual mentor when he was in seminary and when he left the seminary.

"He has been a great source of support," said Faris.

A parishioner from St. Patrick Parish in Estherville, Donna Roth, was able to attend because her husband is second in line for the Faithful Navigator of the Bishop Heelan Assembly of Knights of Columbus.

"I was happy that I was invited," said Roth. "It was beautiful."

She thinks it is great that the diocese now has a bishop and someone to lead the diocese.

"The parish priests do great, but they need a leader, too," said Roth.

The diocesan CORE team was also invited to the ordination. Brigitte Boever from Sacred Heart Parish in Spencer and Justine Labruzzo from Sacred Heart in Fort Dodge were two of the CORE team members that were able to attend.

"I really wanted to go so I was excited to get invited," said Boever. "It was amazing. I have never seen an ordination before, so it was moving to see when the bishops laid their hands on Bishop Nickless' forehead. It was a really powerful thing."

Boever explained that she is "ecstatic" about the diocese being appointed a new bishop.

"I think that Bishop Walker will be a good bishop," said Boever. "He said, 'The mission has begun.' Those words totally started it off."

Labruzzo mentioned that when she got the phone call that she got a ticket, she didn't believe it.

"I knew we were getting a new bishop, but I didn't think there was any way that I would be able to go to the ordination," said Labruzzo. "It was a whole new experience for me. To be a part of it and to witness it was awesome."

Dave Ferris, a parishioner at Immaculate Conception in Sioux City, was among those attending from the Diocese of Sioux City.

"We got a personal invitation. We responded immediately the same day we got the invitation," said Ferris. "I was not going to miss this opportunity."

He pointed out that the ordination was "without a doubt, one of the highlights of my life."

"It was one of the greatest events. It was the Catholic faith in high gear. It is hard to describe the feeling with everything that was going on today," said Ferris. "I think he is an absolute blessing. It has been a long two years, but I think it will seem like there weren't two years at all. He will be received so well. I think he is a wonderful man."

Shannon Siemens was an attendee from the Diocese of Sioux Falls. She and her husband, Bob, brought their four children to the ordination.

"My husband has worked with a good friend of Bishop Nickless' throughout the years, so he go to know bishop through Father Kevin Augustyn," said Shannon. "We got invited through him."

She noted that she thought the service was very beautiful.

"We think it is a real blessing for our family," said Shannon. "We were very honored to be able to come since it is such a grace-filled moment."

Shannon explained that since she and her family are from the Diocese of Sioux Falls that is currently a vacant see, they are "rejoicing with the Diocese of Sioux City finally getting a new bishop."