Luke Lenhard’s father had an inkling that his son was on the path to the priesthood before he left for college.
“I think he was starting to discern,” said Chris Lenhard. “He jokingly said to me, ‘Dad, I think I’m going to be a business major and make money,’ and I knew he was saying it very flippantly. Then at the end of college, he said, ‘I want to have a talk with you when I get home.’ ”
Three years after telling his dad he wanted to become a priest, Lenhard publicly declared his intention to continue his seminary formation for the diaconate and the priesthood in the Mass for Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders at St. Ambrose Church in Annandale Aug. 9.
“This day has a lot of meaning as I have worked hard up to this point to prepare to be a suitable candidate for orders,” said Lenhard, 25, who attends St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Lower Gwynedd, Pa. “My time in formation has shown me both the joys and the sufferings that priests face in serving the Lord. It has helped me to grow as a person and better understand how the Lord lovingly works in his church.”
Lenhard was surrounded by 21 fellow seminarians, seven transitional deacons and 13 young men who will begin seminary this fall, in the Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge.
Speaking directly to Lenhard in his homily, Bishop Burbidge cited Pope Leo XIV’s June 24 address to seminarians at the Vatican. “The Holy Father reminded the seminarians that this journey requires a daily ‘yes,’ to the Lord, offered with courage and humility and commitment to participate in the formation and conversion of mind and heart,” he said. “And Luke, as you are officially received today for admission to candidacy for Holy Orders, that is what you promise to continue — your priestly formation with the conversion of mind and heart so that you will be able faithfully to serve Christ and his church.”
Watching their son stand in front of Bishop Burbidge, pledging his resolve to faithfully serve Christ and his church was a powerful moment for Lenhard’s parents, who attend St. Jude Church in Fredericksburg. “It’s overwhelming joy,” said Lori Lenhard, Luke’s mother. “There’s such love and excitement. I’m amazed at how everything has come so quickly. It’s just overwhelming.”
“I guess I’m a little bit numb in a way,” said Chris. “It’s very humbling. I’m so proud of him and I see God using him and it’s just awesome. It’s an awesome feeling. It really is.”
It was also a joyful day for 25 members of the Serra Club of Arlington, a lay organization devoted to praying for religious vocations. “It’s glorious to see the happiness on the faces of these young men,” said Debbie Cooper, vice president of programs. “You can just tell they are right where Jesus wants them to be. It’s just exhilarating.”
Bishop Burbidge agreed, acknowledging that this is an exciting time in the universal church, and concluded his homily by speaking to all the seminarians as “messengers of hope, who participate daily in the formation and conversion of mind and heart so that you may faithfully serve the Lord and his church,” he said. “And may he who has begun this good work in you bring it to fulfillment.”
“I feel good about the path that the Lord has me on and am excited to continue formation,” said Lenhard. “I appreciate the prayers of those who have prayed for me leading up to this point. Every day their prayers help me to grow in faith and in the conviction of my vocation.”
