Friend and Graduate of St. Vincent Seminary to be ordained priest

 

Bishop David Zubik will ordain three men to the priesthood at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 26, at St. Paul Cathedral. The future priests are Deacons Robert Fleckenstein and Thomas Gillespie, both of Incarnation of the Lord Parish on Pittsburgh’s North Side, and Deacon Brian Noel, whose home parish is St. Paul Cathedral.

 

The ordination Mass will be cablecast live on the Christian Associates channel in the city of Pittsburgh.

 

Deacon Fleckenstein is the son of Wayne and Mary Kathryn Fleckenstein. He has one sister, Julie.

 

He attended St. Angela Merici School in White Oak, McKeesport Central Catholic, St. Joseph Regional School in Port Vue and Serra Catholic High School in McKeesport. Deacon Fleckenstein earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, graduating in May 2000.

 

Past employment has included work as assistant manager at Spencer Gifts, youth minister at St. Columbkille Parish in Imperial and St. Joseph Parish in O’Hara Township, and most recently as liturgy coordinator at Incarnation of the Lord.

 

In fall 2004, Deacon Fleckenstein was accepted into the priestly formation program and began studies at St. Paul Seminary and Duquesne University. He completed the pre-theology program and graduated with a master’s in philosophy in May 2006. He entered St. Vincent Seminary in fall 2006 and has completed his fourth year of theological studies.

 

Deacon Fleckenstein was involved in a summer pastoral experience at St. Joseph in O’Hara Township during his time at St. Paul Seminary. In summer 2007, he was assigned to Sacred Heart Parish in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood, and he returned there for summer 2008.

 

On June 13, 2009, he was ordained a deacon at St. Paul Cathedral by Bishop Zubik. Deacon Fleckenstein was assigned for a pastoral experience at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Glenshaw for summer 2009.

 

Deacon Fleckenstein plans to celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at Incarnation of the Lord Parish at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 27. Father Thomas Sparacino, pastor of St. Richard Parish in Richland Township, will deliver the homily.