Ordination 2026
EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION OF THE ORDINATION TO PRIESTLY MINISTRY OF
RYAN C. BIRJOO, SJ
ANDREW M. CERA, SJ
ERIN J. KAST, SJ
NATHAN A. KRAWETZKE, SJ
THOMAS P. O'DONNELL IV, SJ
TIMOTHY J. PERRON, SJ
CONAN J. RAINWATER, SJ
JOSEF RAOUL P. RODRIGUEZ, SJ
PATRICK SAINT-JEAN, SJ
BY
THE MOST REVEREND JEFFREY S. GROB
ARCHBISHOP OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MILWAUKEE
Watch the recording of the Mass at JesuitsMidwest.org/Ordination26
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Fr. Ryan Birjoo, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2015
As a Jesuit: Father Birjoo served in the Jesuit Refugee Service in Lebanon, alongside Druze, Sunni and Shia colleagues. He also ministered at a palliative care home in Paris and served as a deacon at the city’s anglophone parish, Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Birjoo will join the campus ministry team at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio.
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Fr. Andrew Cera, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2015
As a Jesuit: Father Cera taught Ignatian Spirituality and Christian Spirituality in the Theology and Religious Studies Department at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Cera will continue to pursue a Licentiate in Sacred Theology with a focus on Ignatian spirituality and prayer at Boston College.
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Fr. Erin Kast, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2015
As a Jesuit: Father Kast taught high school biology and chemistry at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, and led Bible study groups for incarcerated men in California.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Kast will teach science at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis.
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Fr. Nathan Krawetzke, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2015
As a Jesuit: Father Krawetzke worked as a teacher and coach at Mahvpíya Lúta | Red Cloud Schools in South Dakota and as a parish youth minister.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Krawetzke will serve at St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Fr. Thomas O’Donnell IV, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2014
As a Jesuit: Father O’Donnell taught at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Twin Cities in Minneapolis, and served as a chaplain at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center in St. Paul, Minn. He also worked as a social worker at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father O’Donnell will teach theology at University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy in Detroit.
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Fr. Timothy Perron, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2015
As a Jesuit: Father Perron worked as a music teacher at St. John Chrysostom School in the Bronx, where he also ministered to undergraduate and graduate students at Fordham University.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Perron will continue to pursue a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at Boston College.
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Fr. Conan Rainwater, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2015
As a Jesuit: Father Rainwater taught sophomore and junior religion at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, helped with pastoral activities at the Jesuit parish in Urcos, Peru, and taught in the Fe y Alegría network.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Rainwater will live at Creighton University in Omaha and serve as one of the two vocation promoters for the Midwest Province.
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Fr. Josef Raoul Rodriguez, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2016
As a Jesuit: Father Rodriguez taught philosophy at Creighton University in Omaha, where he also assisted with music ministry and the university orchestra. He has worked in secondary education, youth and adult retreat direction and hospital chaplaincy, and he served as assistant conductor of the Kanesville Symphony Orchestra in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Currently, he serves as chaplain of the Boston College University Chorale and assists in pastoral ministry at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Brookline, Mass.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Rodriguez will continue to pursue a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at Boston College. He intends to pursue doctoral studies in sacramental theology and liturgy while remaining actively engaged in music as a composer, singer and instrumentalist, performing on cello, trumpet and piano.
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Fr. Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ
Entered the Society of Jesus: 2016
As a Jesuit: Father Saint-Jean taught pastoral theology and spiritual psychology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill., and psychology at Creighton University in Omaha, and the University of San Francisco.
Assignment Following Ordination: Father Saint-Jean will continue working at the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice at Xavier University in Cincinnati.
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Watch the recording of the Mass at JesuitsMidwest.org/Ordination26
IN THIS ISSUE
ON THE COVER
The 2026 ordinands at Church of the Gesu in Milwaukee.
Photo: Steve Donisch