Thanks be to God!

June 12, 2023

By ROB HERBST
The Catholic Week
MOBILE – Then-Deacon Thomas LaPointe said last month that he was ready to become a priest thanks to his years of seminary formation and other ministry experiences.
But that preparation didn’t prevent Fr. Thomas LaPointe from being amazed as to what took place on June 3.
The Archdiocese of Mobile celebrated two ordinations at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception as Fr. Thomas LaPointe was ordained to the priesthood and Deacon Joseph Schultz was ordained a transitional deacon. God-willing, he will be ordained to the priesthood at this time next year.
“I never thought it would happen,” Fr. LaPointe said minutes after the Mass. “I don’t know, it’s almost disbelief that it would ever come to pass. But I’m grateful.”
It has not been a short road to the priesthood for Fr. LaPointe. The 34-year-old native of Montgomery graduated from the University of Alabama then began his professional career by working in Publix’s corporate office in Florida.
But he left Florida after four years in 2017 to discern God’s call.
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi thanked both Fr. LaPointe and Deacon Schultz in his homily for trusting God, even when it was likely challenging.
“Thank you for your openness to the call of God to ordained ministry. Trusting in God, you have said ‘yes’ to God’s call,” Archbishop Rodi said.
The Rite of Ordination continued following Archbishop Rodi’s homily and that included the Promise of the Elect and the Litany of Supplication as both Fr. LaPointe and Deacon Schultz lay prostrate in front of the altar.
Following the ordination of Deacon Schultz, Fr. LaPointe was ordained and that included the laying on of hands by Archbishop Rodi and then his fellow priests.
“All of it is meaningful … the laying of the hands of my now brother priests is very meaningful. Giving them the sign of peace. Being welcomed. All of it was meaningful,” Fr. LaPointe said.
Fr. LaPointe celebrated his first Mass on June 4 at St. Peter Parish in Montgomery, the parish he grew up in. He will then begin his ministry as parochial vicar at St. Columba Parish in Dothan later this month.
Deacon Schultz, 27, experienced similar emotions to Fr. LaPointe following the Ordination Mass. He entered seminary in 2019 and while he has one year remaining before an ordination to the priesthood.
“It’s a little surreal,” he said. “So many years in the making. I was telling (Archdiocese of Mobile Vocations Director Fr. Victor Ingalls) that walking into (the Cathedral) and you hear (opening hymn) “O God Beyond All Praising’ for the last five years …. It was just hitting me in the church - first year seminary, second year seminary and now here it is, me. It’s unreal. I’m elated.”
Deacon Schultz said he was crying for the first 15 minutes of the Mass. He joked that was a bit of an issue during the Call and Presentation of the Candidate followed by the Election of the Candidate.
During those moments immediately after the reading of the Holy Gospel, the candidate’s full name is read. He stands and says “present.”
“It’s a very poignant moment to be called by my full name to stand up and say present,” he said. “I was trying my best with strong voice. I was crying literally the first 15 minutes but said ‘no I’ve got to get this together here.’ ”
Deacon Schultz is an Auburn native and delivered his first homily at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Auburn on June 4. He will spend the summer at St. Patrick Parish in Robertsdale before returning to seminary.
Then next year? He may have received a taste of it with Fr. LaPointe’s ordination.
“I think it’s one of the most beautiful aspects of doing the ordinations together. You get where he came from and where I’m going, all in the same liturgy. It’s so beautiful.”
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