Deacon Clint Johnson (top left), Deacon Aaron Herrenbruck (top right), Deacon Keith Hart (bottom left) and Deacon Nick Biever (bottom right) are on track to be ordained to the priesthood in June 2025. The Message file photos
By John Rohlf
The Message assistant editor
After three priests were ordained this past June, four more men are on track to be ordained to the priesthood in 2025.
Bishop Joseph M. Siegel ordained three priests this past June: Father Phillip Rogier, Father Caleb Scherzinger and Father Tyler Underhill. This was the first time in five years the Diocese of Evansville had at least three men ordained to the priesthood.
This upcoming June, the Diocese of Evansville is on track to have four current transitional deacons ordained to the priesthood. Deacon Nick Biever, Deacon Keith Hart, Deacon Aaron Herrenbruck and Deacon Clint Johnson were ordained to the diaconate this past April and are on track to be ordained to the priesthood.
All four transitional deacons are completing their seminary studies at St. Meinrad Seminary. Deacon Biever, a son of Annunciation Parish in Evansville, is assigned to St. Philip Parish in Posey County. Deacon Hart, a son of St. Peter Parish in Montgomery, is assigned to St. Joseph Parish in Jasper. Deacon Herrenbruck, a son of St. Clement Parish in Boonville, is assigned to St. Mary Parish in Ireland. Deacon Johnson, a son of Holy Cross Parish in Fort Branch, is assigned to St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes.
All four transitional deacons will complete their seminary work in December. They will then return to their assigned parishes for the spring semester for what is now called the synthesis stage of formation.
Deacon Biever hears call to priesthood while ‘watching a superhero TV show’
Deacon Nick Biever (left) was one of four men ordained to the diaconate in April. The Message file photo
Despite initially discerning out of seminary after one year, Deacon Nick Biever returned to seminary and is now on track to be one of four deacons ordained to the priesthood this upcoming June.
Deacon Nick Biever grew up in Evansville in a Catholic environment. He was homeschooled through high school and attended the University of Southern Indiana for his college studies. He said his mother always encouraged him to either get married or become a priest. He did not seriously consider priesthood until he was in college.
“My sophomore year of college, I was watching a superhero TV show and suddenly God just put in my brain, Nick, I want you to be a priest. And so that was the big push initially in college.”
After completing his studies at USI, Deacon Biever joined the seminary. After one year in seminary, Deacon Biever discerned out of the seminary for one year before returning to seminary, where he has been ever since.
“I’m working in IT at this company and my favorite part of the job is talking to people and spending time with people and helping them with their problems,” Deacon Biever said. “It was sort of like a counselor role. And I actually thought about being a counselor through that but that wasn’t really the call. Because the call was to priesthood. Specifically, administer sacraments and specifically, I want to do this in the Diocese of Evansville.”
Deacon Biever’s seminary formation has been at St. Meinrad Seminary for six years. He spent one summer in a Rome Immersion Program.
He said his biggest surprise with seminary is that while there is time in the classroom for education, a big aspect of attending seminary is the community.
“You get to know all these guys from all over the world,” Deacon Biever said. “Because we have guys from all over the United States, all over Indiana, some from different countries. And so you learn all kinds of things. I know more about Texas now than I ever thought I would know.”
He added that through all his other summer assignments with various parish priests, he has learned what priesthood ministry looks like at a parish level.
“It’s one thing to learn it in the classroom but it’s another thing to actually live it day after day. Especially being mentored by all the priests in our diocese,” Deacon Biever said.
Deacon Biever and the other transitional deacons in their last semester of seminary are practicing Mass every day, practicing confessions with each other and practicing anointings in class.
“All of that just makes everything all real,” Deacon Biever said. “I think Mass is the biggest thing that is hitting me the most. And practicing confessions. Especially once you put on the vestments, I’m putting on the priest chasuble to practice. And suddenly OK, I’m about to be a priest. It is awesome.”
Throughout the seminary process, Deacon Biever has noticed many changes personally both in his personality and spiritually. He came into seminary with an introverted, more organized personality. Through attending seminary, he is more extroverted than he used to be. He has also learned to be less organized and have more fun and be in the moment. This is something he thinks will benefit him in pastoral ministry to be present to people. Spiritually, he said his prayer has deepened every year.
“I would say especially through deacon ordination, that’s been the biggest thing,” Deacon Biever said. “Because suddenly I can say I pray the Liturgy of the Hours. That’s my life. I am celibate, that’s my life. And that really forms your prayer.”
He believes he and the other transitional deacons are blessed to have four in the same priesthood candidate class of 2025. He thinks they are especially blessed because they like spending time with each other.
“We’re all studying to be priests,” Deacon Biever said. “We were all ordained deacons the same day. And so we’re all in the same place. It’s really good having diocesan brothers to process things with.”
Homily during Confirmation helps Deacon Hart pursue priesthood
Deacon Keith Hart makes his deacon promises earlier this year. The Message file photo
Deacon Keith Hart attributes part of his answering the call to the priesthood to current Archbishop of Indianapolis Charles C. Thompson, the former Diocese of Evansville Bishop.
Deacon Hart grew up going to St. Peter Parish in Montgomery. He is the son of a public school teacher and a farmer. He was raised in the Catholic faith and would sometimes attend daily Mass with his grandmother. He said he first started to consider priesthood in junior high.
“I felt like I know I’m a very imperfect person,” Deacon Hart said. “I’m a sinner like anyone else. And so I looked at what priests I knew and I thought I could never be as good as them. I sin too much. I’m not good enough to be a priest.”
This mindset changed during the homily given at Hart’s confirmation, which was delivered by now Archbishop Thompson. Hart said in the homily, then-Bishop Thompson gave a homily about how God does not call the perfect but the imperfect to serve him. They are able to accomplish good things by his grace and accomplish what God is calling them to do, Hart recalls was said in the homily.
“That resonated with me,” Deacon Hart said. “And it felt like it gave me permission to actually consider priesthood more.”
Deacon Hart said he also had a great example growing up with his pastor, who was Father Jim Koressel. Deacon Hart said Father Koressel, who is now a senior priest in the diocese, was a very happy and joyful man who was just with the people and doing whatever he had to do to be present to them.
Despite the homily resonating with Deacon Hart, it still took some time for him to make the leap to pursue priesthood. After graduating high school, he studied nursing at Vincennes University. About two months into studying for nursing, Deacon Hart realized he was not called to be a nurse.
“Although I have great respect for nurses now because I’ve gotten to see all the hard work that they really go through, I just thought I’m not satisfied with this,” Deacon Hart said. I really should have gone to seminary instead.”
Deacon Hart began his seminary education at Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary in Indianapolis. After finishing his studies there, he went to St. Meinrad Seminary. Deacon Hart noticed a difference when he began his seminary studies because, for the first time, he was studying in an environment with other Catholics who had the same goals as he did. He said growing up in Montgomery, there was a relatively small Catholic population in the area.
“It was really a great experience because I really got to learn from them and their stories and how they lived out the faith,” Deacon Hart said. “And I had people I could walk with as I was learning how to pray and live the life that I should be living.”
Deacon Hart said having others at the seminary you can talk to who are also discerning helped him realize what is important and gives perspective. He said having conversations with them about the high end parts of seminary are wonderful, but he stressed you have to learn how to use that to help people and to help give them what they need and what Christ is wanting to give them.
Deacon Hart said his transition to attending seminary was a “very easy transition.” He said he is an authentic person, which is an important part of seminary. He stressed the importance of being honest and open, and letting people get to know you.
“When you let people actually get to know you to see your personality, to see who you are, I think people respond well to that and people are then open and honest with you,” Deacon Hart said. “And you’re able to make those really authentic friendships where you can then have those deeper conversations where you can really pray for each other on the things that you need to pray for each other for.”
Deacon Hart said it is “a great privilege and honor to be ordained to the diaconate.” Deacon Hart has appreciated being able to participate in ministries he was not able to before being ordained as a deacon. He said certain aspects, such as marriage preparation, meeting with families to plan funerals, taking Communion to the sick or homebound and Baptisms, allow him to be with people in big moments in their lives.
He said he loves preaching, which he sees as a great way to prayerfully look at the Scripture and determine what Christ is trying to tell people that he needs to minister to.
“I think I have good confidence in it,” Deacon Hart said. “I think I’m well read and I enjoy writing homilies and public speaking. I hope the congregation enjoys my preaching as much as I enjoy it.”
Deacon Hart said he is excited at the prospect of being ordained as a diocesan priest this June. He said last month that one of his focuses in his final weeks of seminary was to enjoy where he was at that time. He said unlike some of his classmates, he does not have things planned for his first Mass, which is generally held the Sunday after priesthood ordination.
“I really just want to make sure I’m present to the seminary community and that I’m with my brothers for the time I have left with them,” Deacon Hart said last month.” And there will be plenty of time later to get excited about being a priest and the parish ministry aspect of that.”
Seminary ‘nothing like’ Deacon Herrenbruck expected
Deacon Aaron Herrenbruck (center) is congratulated by Father Tony Ernst, pastor at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes and associate vocations director for the diocese, after April’s diaconate ordination. The Message file photo
Deacon Aaron Herrenbruck grew up in Boonville and went to Castle High School and Purdue University before entering seminary after he completed his college studies. He decided during his sophomore year of college that he was going to seminary. At the recommendation of Father Alex Zenthoefer, who was the diocesan director of vocations at the time, Deacon Herrenbruck finished his college degree in religious studies before entering seminary.
Deacon Herrenbruck said this summer that this experience in seminary has been “nothing like I expected.”
“I thought I was going to be around a bunch of chumps all day who did nothing but sit around and pray and weren’t normal and kind of weirdos,” Deacon Herrenbruck said. “You have some of that. I’m one of them. But the seminary is full of people who are very sincere. It’s full of people who love God fiercely. Who want to serve him and serve his people and love our Lord with all of their ability.”
Through his time at seminary, Deacon Herrenbruck has found a community of men who want to do the same thing in life that he does. He noted the opportunities for counseling, spiritual direction and fraternal correction at seminary.
He said one of the biggest things he noticed in his time in seminary is his maturity. He said he has been put “in this pressure cooker,” which helped him overcome things he did not see as ever being able to overcome.
“I wasn’t going to be able to see myself as somebody who could overcome that to the man I am today, I still struggle with a lot of those things but I’m no longer a slave to those,” Deacon Herrenbruck said. “I have a freedom. I have an immense love that’s been given to me by this diocese, these people in this diocese, my brother seminarians.”
Deacon Herrenbruck noted there was a period of transition when he went from Purdue University to the seminary. He said while in college you are mostly on your own, in seminary, you are surrounded by people who do not want you to fail.
“Whenever I went from that lifestyle that I lived in college to seminary, it was a little jarring,” Deacon Herrenbruck said. “I was surrounded by these people who really cared about me for me rather than being surrounded by people who care about me because I’m fun or because I’m there. I started to surround myself with people who wanted what was best for me.”
Deacon Herrenbruck said being ordained to the diaconate “has been huge,” and characterized it as humbling. He said he spent a lot of time leading up to his ordination focusing on the promises he made.
He said he was “not very excited to preach at all.” While he does not have a problem talking, it is the aspect of “talking intelligently that scares me,” he said.
“I think what has made that easier for me is starting to understand and realize that it’s not me,” Deacon Herrenbruck said. “Yes, God’s working through me and by me. But he also gives me everything I need. No matter how afraid I can be that I’m going to say something heretical or I say something insensitive that hurts somebody, you just have to be careful and God will do the rest.”
Based on his experience the last six years in seminary, Deacon Herrenbruck thinks “it would be very cool” if every man went to at least one year of seminary. He said men entering seminary go to seminary to not only discern whether they are called to priesthood, but it is also to form you and to become a more faithful and well-rounded man.
“If you’re on the edge, just go for it,” Deacon Herrenbruck said. “Because no matter what, even if you decide to discern out, there’s not a stigma of people who have left seminary. Actually, it’s funny. The reality is that whenever a guy discerns out, it’s usually within six months and they’re engaged and a year later they’re married. Because they’ve taken the time to find themselves first.”
From architecture to the diaconate
Deacon Clint Johnson (right) looks on at the end of Mass in August at Good Shepherd Parish in Evansville. He is pictured with Bishop Joseph M. Siegel (center) and Deacon Dan Niemeier. The Message file photo
“Priesthood was never an option” for Deacon Clint Johnson growing up, he said.
Deacon Johnson grew up in Fort Branch and attended Holy Cross School in elementary school before attending public school in middle and high school. Deacon Johnson went to school to study architecture and “loved it.” He said it was not until his junior or senior year of college that the idea of priesthood entered the picture.
“I know that sometimes I got discouraged in seminary when I would hear guys say I knew I wanted to be a priest since I was five. That was not me. Not a chance. I just wanted to be married and have a family.”
Even though he began considering the idea of priesthood while he was still in undergraduate studies, Deacon Johnson went to graduate school to finish his license in architecture instead of jumping into seminary or becoming a missionary. Once he left graduate school, Deacon Johnson realized he was yearning for something from his undergraduate school days that he was not receiving in graduate school.
“I was very isolated and very lonely at that time too,” Deacon Johnson said. “And it was then that I decided. I was working for the first year as an architect, architectural intern really that I was discerning the call. Just God’s call for my life rather than what I wanted to do.”
After living in the Diocese of Evansville’s House of Discernment, Deacon Johnson decided to enter seminary. Deacon Johnson said the House of Discernment was fantastic for him because he could discern while still doing what he went to college for six years to do. He also noted the benefits of living in community, something he was missing while in graduate school. He called the year at the House of Discernment “one of the most joyful years of my life.”
Deacon Johnson said his year at the House of Discernment helped him especially in his first semester of seminary. He noted they do the Liturgy of the Hours every day, and knowing the Breviary was a huge step forward.
“Just going and knowing how to pray the Breviary was a huge step forward,” Deacon Johnson said. “Because I could sit next to these other new guys coming in. I could tell them where we were in the Breviary and just having that confidence.”
Deacon Johnson said he did not have too many expectations of what seminary would bring. He said the academics were more intense than he was expecting them to be. Initially, he focused on the academic side of the process and not so much on the human formation part of it, he said.
During his time at seminary, Deacon Johnson said he was looking for an answer from God whether he wanted him to be a priest or not. He said during this time, he did not want to actually trust God that everything was going to be OK but wanted to make sure he was where he needed to be.
“He really showed me that in giving myself completely and being completely dependent on him that he had everything taken care of and that I didn’t need to trust myself,” Deacon Johnson said. “That I could depend completely on God and he would give me what I needed whenever I needed it.”
Deacon Johnson said after the diaconate ordination in April, he “didn’t feel any different whatsoever.” He noted his nerves before the ordination and to deacon his first Mass and deliver his first homily. Even though he can think he is unworthy to do something in his duties as a deacon, Deacon Johnson trusts God has actually done something in him, he said.
“That’s what I constantly think about while I’m performing duties of the diaconate kind of thing is as I bless something, I trust in God that something has happened, even though I can’t see it,” Deacon Johnson said. “Even though my senses fail that God has done something great through me, a great sinner. And so that gives me great courage.”
In considering his vocation to the priesthood, Deacon Johnson said he was always so nervous that he would receive enough from God and that he would be taken care of in that way. He stressed a vocation is not primarily about what we receive but about how we give ourselves completely.
“In that self-giving is when you’re going to receive all those things that we’re so afraid that we’re not going to get whenever we take the jump,” Deacon Johnson said. “It’s whenever we give ourselves 100% that we receive everything we need from God.”