HUNTERSVILLE —
“Your contribution will be priceless,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio told the new priests of the Diocese of the Charlotte, explaining all the ways they and their brother priests can nourish their communities.
Darren Balkey and Aaron Huber were ordained priests for the Charlotte diocese during a special two-hour Mass June 18.
Archbishop Broglio, who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, celebrated the Mass as Bishop Peter Jugis was feeling unwell. Bishop Jugis remains ill after recently contracting a series of non-coronavirus related viruses. He is working with his physicians to address a few lingering symptoms and expects to make a full recovery.
Bishop Jugis led a Holy Hour and Prayer Vigil at St. Patrick Cathedral for the two men Friday night, on the eve of their ordination.
Archbishop Broglio was already in town to concelebrate the ordination Mass as Father Balkey also has a commission as a military chaplain in the U.S. Navy with the rank of ensign. Father Balkey will be assigned to priestly ministry for three years in the Charlotte diocese, then he will be eligible for active-duty service as a U.S. Navy chaplain.
“It is fortuitous that Archbishop Broglio was here to celebrate with us today,” Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, told the congregation before the ordination liturgy began.
Archbishop Broglio said he has ordained many clergy, but these two men – Father Balkey and Father Huber – are only the fifth and sixth diocesan priests he has ordained so far in his episcopal ministry. He told the new priests that they would have many responsibilities and challenges during their priestly ministry, “but boredom will never be one of your challenges.”
“Today we celebrate an amazing action by the Holy Spirit that will change Darren Balkey and Aaron Huber once and for all, and set them apart by for mission given them by Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Broglio said during his homily. “We expect them to ignite a blaze of New Evangelization as they are ordained on the vigil of the opening of the Eucharistic Revival in our country.”
The National Eucharistic Revival, launching June 19 on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, has a mission to “renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist,” as stated on the initiative’s website. Sponsored by the U.S. Bishops, it aims to inspire people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.
God gives the grace to respond and ignite, Archbishop Broglio continued, and God gives the grace to speak the truth.
“The truth is so important in our world today. You are charged to make sure that your brothers and sisters who will be entrusted to your pastoral care hear that message of truth among the many other voices that distract us in the world today.”
“It will be your privilege to be Jesus Christ for men and women hungering for His saving touch and participating in His life of grace,” Archbishop Broglio said. “You will leave this church this morning new men – changed and empowered. There is no doubt your ministry is essential and needed in today’s world.”
After his homily, Archbishop Broglio asked the men a series of questions to express their willingness to be ordained priests and fulfill the responsibilities that come with priestly ministry.
Then, one at a time, the men approached the archbishop, placing their hands in his to signify obedience to the Church.
The Litany of Supplication followed, during which the men lay prostrate before the altar as Archbishop Broglio and everyone gathered at the Mass knelt in prayer and the Litany of the Saints was chanted.
Then they arose and approached the archbishop, who laid his hands on their heads. During this most solemn moment of the ordination rite, Archbishop Broglio prayed silently over them for the Holy Spirit to descend upon them.
During the vesting portion of the ordination rite, the men were vested by people who played meaningful roles in their journey to the priesthood. Father Balkey was vested by Father John Eckert, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, and Father Huber was vested by Father Matthew Buettner, spiritual director of St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly.
At the end of Mass, the newly ordained priests’ first assignments were announced by Monsignor Winslow: Father Balkey will serve as parochial vicar at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, and Father Huber will serve as parochial vicar at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.
— Kimberly Bender, Catholic News Herald. Catholic News Agency contributed. Photos by Amy Burger and James Sarkis
Meet Our New Priests
Father Darren Balkey
Home parish: Sacred Heart Church, Salisbury
Birthplace: State College, Pa.
Birthday: March 1, 1992
Raised in: State College, Pa.
Family: Parents Steven and Sheryl Balkey; siblings Matthew and Seth
College: Belmont Abbey College
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
Pre-Theology- Pontifical College Josephinum
Theology: Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte; St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte; St. John the Evangelist Church, Waynesville; and Queen of the Apostles Church, Belmont
Interests/hobbies: Any sort of outdoor adventure – hiking, swimming, biking, climbing, paddling, etc. Also enjoys playing the trumpet and working with my hands in the woods or in a shop.
In their own words: How their vocations evolved
CNH: When did you first hear the call to a vocation to the priesthood?
Father Balkey: My first sense of a priestly calling was when I started serving Mass, about 9 years old. It seemed natural to want to be near the Word of God and the altar during Holy Mass. Throughout the years, that desire to be near God and bring Him to others stuck around.
CNH: Who did you first talk to about your vocation?
Father Balkey: The priest who was my spiritual director at the time.
CNH: What type of feedback or advice did you get from him?
Father Balkey: He was very patient with me in college but challenging in the right way. When I finally let God start opening the door to a vocation, I sent him an email about what was going on in my prayer life and thoughts. He replied, “Well, it’s about time!” I laughed when I read it, and knew that my email had made him laugh, too. That was exactly what I needed, because my own expectations were so much smaller than God’s plan.
CNH: How did you go about discerning where you felt called to explore your possible vocation?
Father Balkey: My vocation grew alive during my studies at Belmont Abbey College. A lot of hours in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel on campus and the Abbey basilica set a strong foundation. I also made retreats with Benedictine and Franciscan communities.
Right after I graduated, I started working in a behavioral health facility. There, I worked in a role of guardianship, and probably a lot like humble St. Joseph, I felt very inadequate! The youth I served were very much in need of a true, loving father, such as only the Eternal Father can be. That experience cast priesthood into an amazing light. My hunger for the sacraments, prayer and Scripture became voracious. I knew that anything less than service of God would leave me empty.
CNH: Tell us about the types of things you did during your discernment process and time in the seminary.
Father Balkey: I have been praying the Angelus on a daily basis for a while now. The Incarnation is key for a Catholic, and I love pausing for that reflection in my day. The Liturgy of the Hours, which distributes the psalms throughout the daily routine of the Church, is an important root. Holy Mass is the gathering point for the Universal Church as well as the seminary community, and that helps me remember to gather and present all of my intentions, anxieties and priorities to the Lord.
CNH: Looking back, what do you think has helped you the most to discern God’s will for your vocation to the priesthood?
Father Balkey: First, time spent in silence. Second, true friendship with Jesus, the saints, many good priests and my brother seminarians has been key to my discernment. One moment, though, sticks out. I interviewed Father Tom Kessler (pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville) for a class assignment. He mentioned something that really cut me to the heart. Men, he explained, often go to seminary trying to get built up big and smart and holy enough to be a priest. He rocked my world when he challenged me to ask God the opposite: “Am I little enough, like the Blessed Mother, to say ‘yes’ and let Him make me His priest?”
Father Aaron Huber
Home parish: St. John the Evangelist Church, Waynesville
Birthplace: Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Birthday: July 8, 1996
Raised in: Cruso, N.C.
Family: Parents Eric and Tamara Huber; siblings Eric Jr., Joshua, Jessica, Sarah, Maria, Isaac, Noah and Benjamin
College: St. Joseph College Seminary
Degree: Bachelor of Philosophy, Belmont Abbey College
Theology: Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio
Summer assignments in the diocese: Sacred Heart Church, Salisbury; Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro; St. Elizabeth Church, Boone; St. Mark Church, Huntersville; and St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte
Interests/hobbies: Skateboarding, basketball, ultimate frisbee, reading literature, chess and piano
In their own words: How their vocations evolved
CNH: When did you first hear the call to a vocation to the priesthood?
Father Huber: I first heard the call to the priesthood when I was young, possibly 10 or 11. I remember talking to a friend of mine about what we wanted to be when we grew up, and both of us voiced our desire to be the pope! While my aspiration for the papacy has certainly changed, the desire to serve Our Lord as His priest never left. However, my attention to the call was sporadic.
When I was a junior in high school, I had a profound conversion experience in which I felt the deepest peace at the thought of being a priest. It was not until the summer after my freshman year at Belmont Abbey College while serving as a Totus Tuus missionary that the Lord really revealed Himself to me in such a way that I knew I had to pursue Him.
CNH: Who did you first talk to about your vocation?
Father Huber: I first voiced my desire to be a priest to Father Matthew Buettner. My Totus Tuus team had been sent to St. Michael Church in Gastonia for the week, and it was there that the Lord placed the priesthood on my heart. Father Buettner was the pastor at the time, and what started out as a young man talking to a priest he barely knew turned into a long-lasting friendship.
CNH: What advice did he give you?
Father Huber: Father Buettner’s first piece of advice was to keep praying about my vocation. Further, since St. Michael Church is only 15 minutes from Belmont Abbey, he told me to get in touch with him after I returned for the fall semester so that he could put me on the altar server schedule. Serving at the altar and prayer, specifically Eucharistic Adoration, were the two things he always recommended.
CNH: How did you go about discerning where to explore a vocation?
Father Huber: My interest in the priesthood was certainly not limited to the diocesan life. After my experience in high school, I was definitely more inclined to some form of religious life. I researched a couple of Franciscan communities and even reached out to a couple of them. However, as my discernment progressed, I found that my attention had shifted to the diocesan priesthood. I exhausted the Charlotte diocese’s vocations webpage, then proceeded to look up any information I could on the diocesan priesthood.
CNH: What practices or activities have you been doing since discerning your vocation?
Father Huber: Daily prayer is a must. There have been times when mental prayer and devotional prayers were not easy, but through many successes and failures in discipline, I can say that prayer has been the surest way to navigate the challenges I have come across. Of course, by prayer, I also include the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. Spiritual reading, disciplines and charitable works are a part of my daily life and are essential to it. However, I knew that if I was not falling in love with Jesus in those things, then all of it is as straw. The further I progressed in seminary, the more time I spent in silence in His presence, and it is in those moments that I felt most affirmed in my vocation.
CNH: What has helped you the most to discern God’s will for your vocation?
Father Huber: Our Lord in the Eucharist has helped me through many difficulties in my life. He continues to be the source of love, forgiveness, consolation and acceptance in my life. Nothing can ever replace Him! I am constantly reminded that Our Lord is truly the source of all goodness in my life, and He will always be.
Further, our Mother Mary and her pure spouse St. Joseph work overtime for me. Finally, friendships with priests and seminarians were so vital to my time in seminary. Being able to go through the ups and downs with fathers and brothers who have supported me has been a huge blessing.
Holy Hour held on eve of new priests’ ordination
CHARLOTTE — Eucharistic Adoration and prayers were held Friday evening for the two men being ordained this year for the Diocese of Charlotte: Aaron Huber and Darren Balkey.
Bishop Peter Jugis led the Holy Hour and Prayer Vigil at St. Patrick Cathedral, attended by the two men, their families, friends and supporters.
The bishop also blessed the two men’s sets of vestments and chalices that they will use at their first Mass of Thanksgiving.
Learn more about their vestments and chalices below.
— Photos by James Sarkis
Vestments and chalices
Father Balkey and Father Huber selected their first priestly vestments and chalices and the items were blessed after Vespers and a Holy Hour June 17 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, the evening before their ordination. These treasures provide a tangible remembrance of their ordination to the priesthood. Here they tell us about their new vestments and chalices:
Father Balkey
My chasuble’s base fabric is from Fatima, Portugal, and is the same worn by our clergy at major diocesan major liturgies. Naval chaplaincy will take me far from my brother priests of Charlotte, and I find being “cut from the same cloth” a fitting reminder of their fraternity. The galloon, or accent trim, comes from Zhytomyr, Ukraine.
Petr Mykalchuk, owner of Church Vestments and Fabrics, made it and shipped it to me less than three months before Russian forces invaded his country. The embroidery was masterfully stitched by Brynne Beal, a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. The front features the cross with the alpha and omega symbols, as inscribed on the Paschal candle. The back graphic was rendered by artist Emily Gross of Hamilton, Ohio. It merges the staurogram, the monogrammatic cross (or tau-rho) with the anchor in a dual nod to Christian hope and naval heritage. Below, a scroll proclaims “Audemus exspectare” (“We dare to hope”), a phrase taken from Preface I of Advent. Tiffany Peoples, owner of Lily and Rose Vestments, supervised the design and executed the sewing and assembly.
I selected the Roman pattern because it leaves my ribs vulnerable, as Our Lord’s own side was pierced: “Cuius latus perforatum, Vero fluxit et sanguine” (literally from the hymn “Ave Verum Corpus”: “from whose perforated side poured forth True blood”).
My sacred vessels reflect how Belmont Abbey Monastery nourished my priestly vocation. While I attended college at the abbey, the Benedictine monks introduced me to the Liturgy of the Hours. Abbot Placid Solari and the community generously allowed me to select a chalice and paten from the monastery’s collection. I hope to express my gratitude for these precious gifts each time I offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The scale paten has a stunning St. Benedict Cross on the underside that echoes the monastic roots which have nourished both the diocese and my own priestly vocation. The chalice was given to the late Benedictine Father Charles Kastner by his mother on May 30, 1931, in recognition of his eighth anniversary of priesthood. It is a neo-Gothic vessel cast from sterling silver, and the bowl’s interior is plated in gold. I love its crisp, balanced beauty.
Father Huber
The day of my first Mass of Thanksgiving is the Feast of Corpus Christi. Thus, my vestment is a white Roman chasuble with a red cross on the back and a red stripe down the front. Further, there is an emblem on the back of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. The vestment was made by a member of our diocese, Tiffany Peoples, owner of Lily and Rose Vestments.
I received my chalice as a gift from the monks of Belmont Abbey. The chalice was made in 1924 by the Benziger Bros. for Benedictine Father Robert Brennan, who died in 1964. The chalice is parcel gilt with three different precious metals: gold, silver and rose gold. The base has a cross on one panel and lilies on the others.
My mother generously offered her wedding ring to be incorporated into the chalice, and that now constitutes most of the cross. I am grateful for the generosity of my mother and the monks of Belmont Abbey, and I am excited to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with this chalice for the glory of God and the sanctification of His people.
The ordination rite explained
Editor’s note: Never attended an ordination before? Here is a helpful guide to the ordination Mass, celebrated June 18, 2022, at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.
What is the sacrament of holy orders?
Holy orders is the sacrament of “apostolic ministry” – that is, how “the mission entrusted by Christ to His Apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time. …” (CCC 1536)
The word “ordination” derives from the word “order,” which is the “appropriate disposition of things equal and unequal, by giving each its proper place” (St. Augustine, “City of God,” XIX.13). Order is used to signify not only the particular rank or general status of the clergy, but also the sacramental act by which they are raised to that status: ordination.
Ordination to the priesthood takes place within the context of the Mass. The rite, most of which dates back many centuries, has several distinct parts, but the essential element is the laying on of hands on the head of the ordinand and the bishop’s consecratory prayer.
The rite of ordination
- Calling of the Candidates: In the ordination rite, after the opening prayers of the Mass and the scripture readings, the presentation of the candidate takes place. The candidate responds, “Present,” (in Latin, “Adsum”) steps forward and makes a sign of reverence.
- Presentation, Inquiry and Acceptance: Bishop Jugis then asks for testimony that the candidate has received proper training and is worthy of ordination. Father Christopher Gober, diocesan vocation director, attests that the candidate is prepared. The bishop then says: “Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose this man, our brother, for the Order of the Priesthood.” The people respond “Thanks be to God,” and also give their approval by a hearty round of applause.
- Examination of the Candidate: After the homily, the candidate approaches Bishop Jugis, who asks him if he is willing to serve Christ and His Church as a faithful priest. The examination concludes with this exchange: Bishop Jugis, “Do you resolve to be united more closely every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered Himself for us to the Father as a perfect sacrifice, and with Him to consecrate yourself to God for the salvation of all?” Candidate, “I do, with the help of God.”
- Promise of Obedience: The candidate then promises obedience to the authority of the Church and to his own religious superiors, as he kneels before Bishop Jugis. Why? The bishop is the head of the local Church. St. Ignatius of Antioch said the bishop is “typos tou Patros” – he is like the living image of God the Father. (CCC 1549) “The promise of obedience they make to the bishop at the moment of ordination and the kiss of peace from him at the end of the ordination liturgy mean that the bishop considers them his co-workers, his sons, his brothers and his friends, and that they in return owe him love and obedience.” (CCC 1567)
- Prayer for the Candidates: Bishop Jugis kneels and invites all of those present to join in prayer for the candidate. This period of prayer includes the Litany of the Saints. The chanting of the Litany of the Saints is an especially moving and memorable moment in the ordination ritual. The candidate prostrates himself before the altar as the prayers of the Litany invoke God’s saving mercy and the intercession of all the saints to send down the Holy Spirit upon this man, soon to be a priest.
The Litany of the Saints is an ancient prayer. The Catholic Encyclopedia says, “It was used in the ‘Litania Septiformis’ of St. Gregory the Great, and in the procession of St. Mamertus. In the Eastern Church, litanies with the invocation of saints were employed in the days of St. Basil (d. 379) and of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (d. about 270). It is not known when or by whom the litany was composed, but the order in which the Apostles are given, corresponding with that of the Canon of the Mass, proves its antiquity.” - Imposition of hands: This is an outward sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus conferred His priesthood on His Apostles, so too does the bishop and other priests lay hands upon the ordinand. It is the most ancient and universal outward ritual of the Church. “The laying on of hands by the bishop, with the consecratory prayer, constitutes the visible sign” of ordination. (CCC 1538) In this moment, as Bishop Jugis lays his hands upon the head of the kneeling ordinand, he prays silently for the invocation of the Holy Spirit.
All the other priests who are present also join in the ordination ceremony. Each one in turn lays his hands silently upon the head of the candidate. This signifies that they all belong to, and participate in, the one priesthood of Jesus Christ. It is also a sign welcoming the newly ordained into the common brotherhood as priest - Prayer of Consecration: Bishop Jugis prays: “Grant, we pray, Almighty Father, to this, your servant, the dignity of the priesthood; renew deep within him the Spirit of holiness; may he henceforth possess this office which comes from You, O God, and is next in rank to the office of Bishop; and by the example of his manner of life, may he instill right conduct. May he be a worthy coworker with our Order, so that by his preaching and through the grace of the Holy Spirit the words of the Gospel may bear fruit in human hearts and reach even to the ends of the earth.”
- Vesting the New Priest: The newly-ordained priest now removes his deacon’s stole and is presented with the symbols of his new office in the Church: a priestly stole and chasuble. This is called the investiture.
- Anointing of the Hands: Bishop Jugis anoints the palms of the new priest with sacred chrism, praying, “The Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, guard and preserve you that you may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God.” After the anointing with the oil, the priest’s hands are wrapped with a linen cloth. Anointing with sacred oil, or chrism, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. It is another ancient ritual that has Old Testament roots.
- Presentation of the Gifts: After the gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar, Bishop Jugis gives to the new priest a chalice containing the wine, mixed with water, and the paten holding the bread. These are the sacred vessels used at each Mass to hold the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. As the priest receives the chalice and the paten, Bishop Jugis says: “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross.”
- Kiss of Peace: Lastly, Bishop Jugis gives the kiss of peace to the new priest, saying: “Peace be with you.”
The Mass continues as usual, with the new priest concelebrating fully in his first Eucharistic sacrifice, standing closest to Bishop Jugis in a place of honor before the altar. The new priest also helps distribute Holy Communion.
Why does the Church ordain priests?
The rite of ordination is more than an “election” or “delegation” of someone as a priest. The sacrament “confers a gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the exercise of a ‘sacred power’ which can come only from Christ Himself through His Church.” (CCC 1538) The divine grace received through this rite sets these men apart – consecrates them, invests them – within the Church and gives them a unique mission among the People of God.
Why are only men ordained priests?
Jesus chose 12 men as His Apostles, conferring upon them the mission to serve in His place on earth, and the Apostles did the same when they chose others to join and to succeed them. The Church is bound by the choice that Jesus Himself made, so it’s not possible for women to be ordained. Though in earlier times there were several semi-clerical ranks of women in the Church (called deaconesses), they were not admitted to orders properly so called and had no spiritual authority. They ministered to women in particular, in instances where customs called for men and women to remain separate.
An indelible mark
Holy orders is one of three sacraments that have an indelible spiritual character – that is, they cannot be repeated or rescinded. The others are baptism and confirmation. From the moment of his ordination, a priest’s vocation and mission mark him permanently. (CCC 1583)
Like the sacrament of marriage, in which men and women give themselves totally to each other and grow in holiness together, holy orders is directed toward the salvation of others through the gift of oneself. “They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God. … Those who receive the sacrament of holy orders are consecrated in Christ’s name ‘to feed the Church by the word and grace of God.’” (CCC 1534-1535)
A priest acts “in persona Christi” – that is, he acts with the authority of Christ, representing the person of Christ in administering the sacraments and shepherding the faithful – and “in nomine ecclesiae,” in the name of the Church. That doesn’t mean a priest is perfect! That just means that in administering the sacraments, the power of the Holy Spirit is assured.
‘The voice and hands of Christ’
In his 1990 address “On the Nature of the Priesthood,” then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) said: “Jesus gave His power to the Apostles in such a way that He made their ministry, as it were, a continuation of His own mission. ‘He who receives you receives me,’ He Himself says to the Twelve (Mt 10:40; cf. Lk 10:16; Jn 13:10).”
He added, “If Church usage calls ordination to the ministry of priesthood a ‘sacrament,’ the following is meant: This man is in no way performing functions for which he is highly qualified by his own natural ability nor is he doing the things that please him most and that are most profitable. On the contrary, the one who receives the sacrament is sent to give what he cannot give of his own strength; he is sent to act in the person of another, to be his living instrument. For this reason no human being can declare himself a priest; for this reason, too, no community can promote a person to this ministry by its own decree. Only from the sacrament, which belongs to God, can priesthood be received. Mission can only be received from the One who sends, from Christ in His sacrament, through which a person becomes the voice and the hands of Christ in the world.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
