CINCINNATI — The Archdiocese of Cincinnati will celebrate the ordination of seven new priests — including a Sidney resident — on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The men will be ordained to the priesthood for service to God and the Church. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr will celebrate the Mass. Within the course of the ordination rite, the archbishop will lay his hands on the men, invoking the authority given by Christ to the apostles to make new priests. The Mass, which begins at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter, 325 W. Eighth St., Cincinnati, will be live-streamed on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati YouTube channel.

Priests being ordained are Patrick Blenman, of Sidney; Isaiah Callan, of Vermont; Alex Dugas, of Dayton; Stephen Hughes, of Trenton; David Duy Tran, of Liberty Township; Jonathan Jergens, of Miamisburg; nd Jeff Stephens, of Mason.

In an article published by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Blenman said he first felt the call to become a priest when he was 12 years old. He attended the Youth and Family Encounter Conference in Atlanta and he watched the priests process out during the closing of Mass. He thought it “might be cool to be a priest.”

He said he has been mentored by his parents, family and the Holy Angels Church priests, including the Rev. Patrick McMullen, the Rev. Matthew Van Smoorenburg, the Rev. Daniel Schmitmeyer, the Rev. Jason Bedel, the Rev. Daniel Hell and the Rev. Shawn Landenwitch.

The seven new priests will contribute to the growing trend of men being ordained priests over the last decade. The seven men being ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, this year, is in line with the seven men ordained in 2021, 2016, 2009 and 2022. The largest recent class were nine men ordained to the priesthood in 2019.

The seven new priests have served as transitional deacons for the last year. Their ministry has included baptizing, assisting at marriages, and preaching at Mass. The men graduated on May 14 of this year from The Athenaeum of Ohio, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, after at least seven years of formation for the priesthood. Parish assignments for the new priests will be announced at the ordination.