BY WKC STAFF

Editor’s note: All are welcome to attend the Ordination to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate of Christopher Earl Grief and Christopher Michael Kight on April 9, 2022 at 10 a.m. at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro. A reception will follow. 

Chris Kight. FILE PHOTO

When did you first identify that you had a vocation to the priesthood?

I first sensed the call to priesthood at young age, maybe around five or six years old. I was intrigued by priests and how they live their lives. As I got older, I got involved in other areas of interest. Like most young people, I shoved the idea of priesthood off until I was a junior in college. It was at that time when God’s call to priesthood became evident. I knew I needed to follow God’s invitation to the seminary. 

How have you seen yourself grow from the time you entered Seminary to today?

Seminary formation has helped me grow in manifold ways. The biggest growth I believe I’ve experienced as a man in seminary is understanding who I am as a person. I know my strengths and weaknesses. I know my gifts and limitations better now than ever before. Seminary has given me the opportunity to understand these qualities. I have been able to become closer to the man that God is calling me to be. While I will never perfectly achieve this, priesthood formation has given me the tools to become more like that man which is a lifelong process. 

What aspect of the transitional diaconate do you most look forward to?

I’m looking forward to all aspects of the transitional diaconate. I’d have to say I’m most looking forward to proclaiming the Gospel and preaching during Mass when I’m able. I’m also looking forward to celebrating the sacraments with my friends and family. Later this year I will have the opportunity to baptize my best friend’s son. I will also have the opportunity to witness the wedding of a childhood friend. 

Chris Kight is from St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah.

Originally printed in the April 2022 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.