By Rob Herbst The Catholic Week
MOBILE — God had grand plans for Joseph Jefferson Schultz of Auburn.
Those plans include Fr. Joseph Schultz serving as a priest for the Archdiocese of Mobile.
“My plans were so small compared to what God had, and has, in store for me,” Fr. Schultz said. “I’m so thankful to be alive in this time, serving this archdiocese alongside these brother priests.”
Fr. Schultz was ordained to the priesthood and Deacon Rich Perkins was ordained to the transitional diaconate during an Ordination Mass celebrated by Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi on June 1 at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. God-willing, Deacon Perkins will be ordained to the priesthood at this time next year.
This year’s Ordination Mass was made possible thanks to St. Michael the Archangel Parish and the faithful in Auburn. Both Fr. Schultz, 28, and Deacon Perkins, 55, are products of St. Michael and are also Auburn University graduates.
Fr. Schultz added it was also made possible by those beyond Auburn.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child and it definitely takes a diocese to raise a priest,” Fr. Schultz said. “I’m thankful for (the people of the archdiocese) and thankful for this gift of the priesthood and to be ordained.”
Fr. Schultz graduated from Auburn in 2017 with a degree in Computer Science and spent one year as a FOCUS missionary before spending six years in seminary. Fr. Schultz celebrated his first Mass on June 2 at St. Michael and will begin as parochial vicar at St. Bede the Venerable Parish in Montgomery later this month.
Now that he is a priest, Fr. Schultz said he most looks forward to is the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
“In my own life, the sacrament has been a continual point of conversion for me,” Fr. Schultz said. “I think we can fall into the misconception that we’re doing ‘good enough’ to no longer feel the need to rely on the grace of God. That misconception is the fruit of the radical individualism so prominent in our culture. The antidote I believe the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
“So what am I looking forward to? Being one of the many who get to stand in the person of Christ and offer that grace to hearts that long to be reunited with Him.”
During his homily at the Ordination Mass, Archbishop Rodi thanked Fr. Schultz and Deacon Perkins for following God’s will and to continue to trust in Him.
“Ordained ministry is not our ministry,” Archbishop Rodi said. “You have discerned that God is calling you to this ministry which he has entrusted to the Church and to which today the Church chooses you to exercise. It is always the Church’s ministry, not our ministry. Trust God to give you the gifts you need to serve wherever God and His Church lead you.”
While Fr. Schultz will begin his priesthood at St. Bede, Deacon Perkins will spend the summer at St. Jude Parish in Montgomery.
He will then return to seminary for one more year.
“My primary emotion is gratitude,” Deacon Perkins said. “I am so very grateful that God has called me to this vocation. It's incredibly humbling to be asked to serve God and His Church in this way. I'm also very excited to start my ordained ministry, and to serve the Church in the Archdiocese of Mobile."