Two seminarians to be ordained to transitional diaconate on Dec. 15

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Dec. 7, 2006

Two seminarians of the Diocese of Sioux City will take a step closer to the priesthood on Dec. 15. Brent Lingle, a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City, and Andrew Bao Vo, a parishioner at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, will be ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop R. Walker Nickless.

"This means I will promise to live as a celibate man and intend to become a priest," noted Vo, the son of But Van Vo and Lien Thi Nguyen, who was born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam.

Transitional deacons are men studying to become priests as opposed to permanent deacons who do not plan to become ordained to the priesthood.

Vo and his family including two brothers and two sisters came to Sioux City on April 18, 1995. They were sponsored by Humanitarian Operations. In his home country he had been a veterinarian but when he came to the United States, he started college over and earned a bachelor's in philosophy from Saint Mary University in Winona, Minn.

Both Vo and Lingle presently are major seminary students at St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana.

Lingle, who was raised in North Sioux City, S.D., graduated from Dakota Valley High School. Unlike many men who are following a call to the priesthood today, he entered seminary studies out of high school and completed four years of college seminary at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, St. Mary University in Winona, Minn.

"It's been eight years that I have been in seminary - so I am ready for it (ordination to the diaconate)," noted Lingle. "This is sort of a culmination of eight years of hard work, study, formation and spiritual preparation."

During the ordination to the transitional diaconate, the men will make several promises: celibacy, to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and obedience to the bishop.

Lingle mentioned that the promise of celibacy is one what differentiates this transitional diaconate from the permanent deacons "because most of them are already married so they do not promise celibacy."

"I embrace celibacy by loving God and his people and turning my sexual being towards loving the church," noted Vo. "Surely I am called to be an instrument of God but clearly I do not bring salvation, but God does. I desire to serve others, but not to be served."

Once ordained deacons, it will enable them to proclaim the Gospel at Mass, preach at liturgies and preside over funeral rites, marriages and baptisms. In the next six months they will also have the chance to become involved in more hands on ministry such as preaching in their community, distributing Communion, presiding over prayer services and performing acts of charity.

Lingle said he is looking forward to the ordination to the transitional diaconate. Given that it is Bishop Nickless' first ordination, that makes it all the more exciting.

He extended gratitude to the parishioners, Knights of Columbus and pastors from Sacred Heart who have been supportive of his vocation.

After ordination, the men will have one more semester of studies and about six months to prepare for their priestly ordination, which is slated for June 16, 2007.