Fr. Sinoj Pynadath, HGN, confirms a young adult during the Easter Vigil in April 2027 at St. Charles Parish in Bardwell. COURTESY OF TYLER BYARS

BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC

Priesthood Sunday is observed this year on Sept. 27, and The Western Kentucky Catholic recently reached out to several of the Diocese of Owensboro’s priests to learn what brings them joy as they live out their vocations.

Fr. Tom Buckman, the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Franklin and Christ the King Parish in Scottsville, said his “greatest joy is bringing God to people; bringing the Gospel to the people in their daily lives,” he said.

Many of his parishioners are Latino, and of those most are either Mexican or Guatemalan. He said he has gotten to know them through multiple aspects of parish life like weddings, baptisms, and quinceañeras.

Fr. Buckman had “a good grasp of Spanish” before becoming pastor, since he had served for a year as a Salesian lay missionary in Mexico years before he entered seminary. Later, when studying to become a diocesan priest, he took Spanish classes to continue improving his language skills.

Fr. Buckman said that being present through “the sacramental life of the Church” and supporting “events and celebrations, customs and traditions that are important, and trying to accommodate and serve” his parishioners is crucial. This includes welcoming the growing number of people attending OCIA, as well as an increase in children receiving First Communion.

There is also particular emphasis placed on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December, which “takes a lot of planning, meetings, and work, but it is a lot of fun,” he said.

Fr. Tom Buckman, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Franklin, observes the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the evening of Dec. 11, 2025, during the annual tradition of starting celebrations on the vigil of the feast. COURTESY OF ST. MARY PARISH

“It’s a joy to see (my parishioners) grow in their Catholic faith,” he said, as well as “a great joy to help couples regularize their marriages” when couples who are civilly married seek to get married in the Catholic Church.

As a pastor of two parishes, it is a lot, but Fr. Buckman works to balance his routine so he can be the best pastor possible for his flock.

“Daily prayer, self-care, delegating responsibility, and inviting parish leaders to (help with) ministry are key,” he said.

Fr. Sinoj Pynadath, HGN, the pastor of St. Denis Parish in Fancy Farm and St. Charles Parish in Bardwell, has been blessed by the flourishing young adult community at his parishes.

“This was not an initiative on my part or even from my predecessor,” he said of the previous pastor, Fr. Chrispin Oneko. “It was an initiative on the part of the young adults themselves – they are really invested in the truth and history of the Catholic Church.”

Fr. Pynadath said the local young adults had been having conversations with Fr. Oneko about forming a community and even received his blessing to start a parish young adult group. The first meeting took place after Fr. Pynadath’s arrival in summer 2025.

He was delighted to see the fruits of Fr. Oneko’s leadership when settling into St. Charles and St. Denis, and encountering “so eager” young adult parishioners – several of which had just joined the Church at the 2025 Easter Vigil.

Fr. Sinoj Pynadath, HGN, confirms a young adult during the Easter Vigil in April 2027 at St. Charles Parish in Bardwell. COURTESY OF TYLER BYARS

He said the young adult group meets every Sunday and begins with a simple meal and fellowship.

Then the young adults take turns leading different prayers each week, such as evening prayer, a Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or the rosary.

After prayer time, “we take a couple articles from the Catechism of the Catholic Church” which they discuss with Fr. Pynadath’s pastoral guidance.

“That’s the structure,” he said, but added that conversations go in various directions as the young adults discuss different aspects of life and faith. Technically, their meetings are held from 5-7 p.m., but they often continue past the allotted time.

“Some days we play pickleball in the parish hall!” said Fr. Pynadath.

He is heartened to see that while the group originated out of St. Charles Parish, members have expanded from other parishes and cities like Murray and Paducah.

“We get people from all around,” he said. “We welcome non-Catholics, Catholics who don’t go to church. We don’t turn away anyone, but we try to present the truth of the Catholic faith.”

During Lent 2026, the young adult community hosted a praise and worship holy hour open to everyone, and other parishioners “came and appreciated it,” said Fr. Pynadath.

Today, the young adults regularly make a holy hour together at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Paducah.

In December 2024, Fr. Tom Buckman smiles for a photo with several of his parishioners in traditional dress for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Mary Parish in Franklin. COURTESY OF ST. MARY PARISH

With young adults often come young married couples, and little ones – which has resulted in hearing children during Mass for the first time in many years at these parishes.

Fr. Pynadath tells the parents, “When the kids cry, don’t be embarrassed about it,” emphasizing that children belong in church.

“It’s really encouraging,” he said of his young adults’ engagement and witness. “It supports my vocation, too! It’s really joyful to me, to be a part of it.”

Fr. Chris Kight, who serves as the parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Bowling Green, said that having two schools on the parish’s campus “brings so much life to the parish” – and to his own vocation.

St. Joseph Parish is home to both St. Joseph School and Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green, a classical high school. As Catholic schools, both have an open invitation to Fr. Kight and his pastor, Fr. Ryan Harpole, to visit any time.

“I love being present to them,” said Fr. Kight, adding that visiting the classrooms shows the students how “priests are real people too” and that he will stop by recess to join the students in outdoor games.

“One of the things about the priesthood is that it requires you to be in relationship with people and just to be present,” he said. “Even though we represent Jesus in the person of Christ, we are someone they can trust, confide in, and joke with.”

Fr. Chris Kight, parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Bowling Green, joins the students of St. Joseph School for recess on March 26, 2026. COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL

Sometimes a teacher may invite him to visit and bless the class before a field trip, which Fr. Kight is happy to do: “The faith encompasses everything we have and are,” he said.

When visiting the classroom, Fr. Kight has heard all manner of questions from “What’s it like being a priest?” to “really deep-level questions” about faith and God, he said.

“The administration and faculty work very hard to make the school Catholic,” he said. “They are on fire for their faith.”

He is also pleased to witness how the schools have provided a gateway for families to connect more with the Catholic Church: “Even if families are not the most active Catholics, they are getting more involved by virtue of the school.”

This strengthens his own vocation.

“It’s a great assignment; it’s a great place,” he said, which helps him continue “living out a vocation that’s joyful.”

“The Church is alive and well,” he said.

Fr. Chris Kight celebrates Mass on May 6, 2026, during the May Crowning celebration with St. Joseph School in Bowling Green. COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL

Originally printed in the September 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.