To the parishioners of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, thank you for your support in my ordination. This is also a support of the priesthood that Christ established and is a blessing for the entire world. You will always be in my prayers and your support means a lot. Please keep me in your prayers throughout my priesthood.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Seth Lorenz
Presbyteral Ordination Seth Lorenz
Father Seth Lorenz received the Sacrament of Holy Orders on Saturday, May 22nd. His first Mass was celebrated at Holy Spirit on Sunday, May 23rd, 2021 at 10:30 am. Before Mass, Seth was presented with a full set of vestments as a gift from Holy Spirit, his home parish. Following Mass, parishioners were able to share their congratulations and receive a blessing from Father Seth. One of the greatest gift we can give Seth, and all our priests, is our prayers. Please remember them in yours.
O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priests. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly lives. In their loneliness, comfort them. In their sorrows, strengthen them. In their frustrations, point out to them that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show them that they are needed by the Church; they are needed by souls; they are needed for the work of redemption.
O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordination and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much. Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. Amen.
Seth Lorenz
May 17, 2020 We are excited and honored that newly ordained Deacon, Seth Lorenz, will be providing the homily at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Listen below.
June 2015 – If you began your seminary training here in Lubbock, what are three interesting characteristics of the diocese that helped you decide to begin or continue your seminary training in Lubbock?
The diocese is growing and there are many opportunities in this diocese, existing and new ones. Everyone is working for a stronger Catholic Church here in Lubbock and I want to be a part of that.
In what way has your internship here at Holy Spirit, this summer, helped to maintain your interest in continuing your seminary training and to continue pursuing your vocation to the priesthood?
There are so many people involved at Holy Spirit that it gives me hope, strength and courage to continue on. The parishioners have been supportive in every way and that gives me a lot of encouragement.
To help us understand the seminary training what is your current level of seminary formation what is your next milestone in seminary training, ordination, or the diaconate? Would you like to share how your original family foster your choice of vocation?
I have finished my philosophy studies from Conception Seminary and I am now attending Mundelein Seminary in the Chicago area for theology studies. I will be studying at Mudnelein for 4 years. My family is very supportive of my vocation. My parents never pushed me, but now I can see they did guide me. They knew I needed to look more into the priesthood and I thank them for their guidance.
How did you begin your journey to pursue your vocation to the priesthood? Are there specific situations, circumstances that inspired you to consider the priesthood? Was it someone or something during your early childhood, teens, adulthood, and/or an educational, sacramental retreat, parish or community event?
Ever since I was a child I have wanted to be a priest. For as long as I can remember, when people would ask what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would answer “Priest”. I grew up in a very Catholic environment, a little German-Catholic-Farming community in central Texas and that had a big impact on my continuing desire to be a priest. The church was the center of all the activities. We were all farmers, from German ancestry, Catholic, and we had a lot in common. This Catholic environment continued in our home. We always prayed together and my parents really put God center in our home. Even school started with religion class and for High School I went to Catholic school. This continued into college, I went to a Catholic university. So through my whole life the Church was front and center. After college, I started working but the priesthood was always on my mind. Going to Mass, I would always think, “You’re supposed to be up there and not in the pew”. I finally realized this was a way of God calling me to learn more about the priesthood.
What are classes like in the seminary? Are they integrated with secular institutions? Is there a selection of degree plans available to you? Where have your travels taken you on your journey through the priesthood?
Mundelein Seminary is seminary attached to the University of Mary of the Lake. While most Universities, Catholic or secular, are schools that are open to anyone, University of Mary of the Lake is not all that open. The focus of the university is for pastoral studies. This means it includes the seminary and also other functions of the Church. Mundelein Seminary is not only the largest seminary in the USA, but also is a Pontifical University, meaning it can give graduate level degrees authorized by the Vatican.
Do you have time to enjoy any technical or recreational activities during your seminary training? Are there any hobbies or activities you enjoy during your down time from the seminary studies?
The Seminary does give us free time for recreation and relaxation. Our days are full of prayer and classes but the weekends are fairly free for us to use as our own time.
How can we as parishioners help you during the remainder of your time with us and during the upcoming academic year?
The biggest is prayer. Prayer for our continued discernment and listening to God.
Would you like to share your contact information with us? How can we stay in touch with you and you with us?
My contact info is: Seth Lorenz 1000 E. Maple Ave. Mundelein, Il. 60060
Email: setlung@yahoo.DE
Regular mail is the best though. For us at our Seminary, we are encouraged to correspond through letters instead of emails. It’s much more personal.
Is there anything we as parishioners can do to help foster vocations within our parish?
Yes, encourage people to go to adoration. In the beginning the quietness and stillness can be difficult, but it will come.