A Letter from Deacon McGuire
Dear Parishioners of St. Francis,
Hello, my name is Jacob McGuire. I am currently a deacon seminarian for our diocese and am on my way to priesthood ordination this May. In less than a month, I will be done with my time at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago and will be assigned to St. Francis for the next several months to complete my seminarian journey. Originally, I grew up in the country near a small town called Cherokee in the Southeast part of the diocese (the most notable thing about it being that it makes you stop on Highway 400). In fact, my first time coming to Wichita was my interview to join our St. Joseph House of Formation Seminary. Over the past 7 years, I have found Wichita to feel much more like a second home; I even was at the SEAS parish near you all for several months.
As for why I will be with you this upcoming semester, it is because Bishop Kemme has chosen to alter the way seminarians complete schooling before they are ordained a priest. My class at Mundelein is the proverbial “Guinea pig” class for the new semester-long deacon internship at a parish in one’s home diocese. The goal is to help seminarians transition better into both their diocese as a whole and the presbyterate. More importantly (to me at least), it also means we will be with the people far more and be better prepared to give of ourselves for those who have provided for us for years. I am very excited to meet all of you, and I ask that you pray for me as I finish my time at Mundelein and prepare for my next step.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Deacon Jacob McGuire