May 20, 2026

By Darcy Fargo
Editor

In his final week of classes after years of education and formation, Deacon Tyler M. Fitzgerald said the excitement he and his classmates at St. Vincent’s Seminary felt was visible.

“It’s been one of the exciting things – going to classes and going to liturgies, we all have countdowns on our phones,” he said. “We’re all reminded that this is really happening – we’ve received the call to orders, the seminary faculty and formators have said we’re ready to go, ordination plans are happening, first Mass logistics are underway. For me, it’s a very, very exciting time. What I’m embarking on, I truly know it’s the life I was created for. That’s not to say I don’t have my fears and worries and anxieties about what the priesthood has in store for me and how my priesthood will unfold. I have those. But I have a deep sense of peace that regardless of that, this is the life I was made for.”

Deacon Fitzgerald said he learned through his time with the monastic community at St. Vincent’s Seminary that while his ordination is a sacrament of service, it’s also a sacrament that’s special to him.

“Something I’ve taken to heart and that’s rubbed off on me is that while this is one of the sacraments of service, service of others – to teach, to preach and to sanctify, and that’s spot on, the monastic way of life bubbled up this deeper reality that’s often not talked about – this is the unique and specific way God wants to get me to heaven. The priesthood exists to celebrate and administer the sacraments, to preach and to teach and to bring Christ into the world, but it’s a sacrament I’m receiving. I’m the one laying on the floor. I’m the one whose hands are being consecrated. It’s a sacrament I receive, unworthy though I am. It’s something the Lord wants to give me.”

With that, Deacon Fitzgerald said he learned the importance of tending to his connection with Christ as he works to bring Him to others.

“Something we were told in seminary was that ministry is a beautiful thing. The priesthood exists for others, and that’s beautiful, but you have to have time for yourself, to renew yourself, to rest and re-create – that’s where ‘recreation’ comes from – and you have to have a relationship with the Lord. You can’t give what you don’t have. I think people think it can come across as being clerical and priest-focused and centered. It’s not talked about as much as it used to be, but this is how God wants to get me to heaven – through my ministry and life as a priest. It’s how he wants me to unite my life to Him and to be like Christ, as I was called in baptism.”

And after eight years of formation starting immediately after high school, Deacon Fitzgerald said he’s ready to be out of the classroom and into ministry.

“I know there will be tough days,” he said. “By nature, I’m not really an optimist. I know there are going to be hard days. But one of the things I loved at St. Vincent’s was they invite the previous ordination class to come talk to us and share what they learned and what they wished they had learned. One of the consistent themes – even the worst day in the year of a priest is nowhere near the worst days of seminary because of their priesthood, because they’re priests. There are things I will miss about seminary, but that’s not my vocation. I’m excited to move on and get done.”

Deacon Fitzgerald acknowledged some people may think entering seminary directly after high school is somehow a detriment.

“I don’t have the world experience of a career and living on my own,” he said. “But that’s the situation I was in when God called me. That’s where He called me from.”

The first priest of our diocese born in the 2000s, Deacon Fitzgerald says he hopes his youth can help him connect to his contemporaries who don’t have a relationship with Christ.

“My generation has turned away from the Church,” he said. “Kind of the way Father David Michael Moses or Father Mike Schmitz are capturing this next generation and showing them the church is not dead, is not dying, and showing them that there are young, vibrant, passionate priests who understand the culture and embrace it as a means of evangelization.”

The deacon said he had outstanding pastoral experiences in our diocese and in his time at the seminary, especially this diaconal year, as well as outstanding seminary formation that have helped him identify and develop his strengths and passions.

“I’ve fallen in love with preaching and teaching,” he said. “My biggest passion is teaching the faith. Homilies are absolutely a way I can do that every singe day. In terms of future parish ministry, I’m passionate about ongoing catechesis – helping people learn what the colors of the vestments mean, what we’re doing in various parts of the liturgy. But I know you’re not going to reach an entire parish community through a Tuesday night class or program, but you have the opportunity to reach them in the Sunday homily.”

He said he’s also excited to celebrate Mass and the sacraments.

“It feels like a canned, cliched answer to say I’m excited to celebrate Mass, but I’m excited to celebrate Mass,” Deacon Fitzgerald said. “The priesthood exists so that the sacraments can be celebrated. The only sacrament that can be celebrated by anyone is baptism. Priesthood exists to bring Christ to others, especially through the sacraments.”

Deacon Fitzgerald said he’s also grateful to his family, all the pastors who helped form him, the parishes and organizations who have hosted him, prayed for him and supported him, the diocesan Vocations staff and Bishop Terry R. LaValley.

“It’ll be a great blessing to be home for good in our diocese full of such outstanding people,” he said. I’m grateful for the eight years of education and formation, including all the summer assignments and opportunities. And I’ve been very touched by all the cards and letters I’ve received from throughout the diocese. It means a lot that people from home – people I don’t even know in some cases – are praying for me and supporting me and cheering for me. Knowing people are excited to have you be their priest – there’s nothing like it.”