A Butler County man took another step toward the priesthood with a ceremony Saturday.

David C. Schmidt Jr. was ordained to the transitional diaconate at Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen Parish, Butler. Bishop William Waltersheid was the principal celebrant and homilist.A bishop calls a man to become a transitional deacon only if it is his intention that following one year as a deacon, he would then ordain this man to the priesthood.Schmidt, who turned 30 June 7, told The Pittsburgh Catholic that he really began to grow in his faith during college.He is the son of Kimberly and David Schmidt, Sr. and his home parish Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringenn. He attended Butler Catholic Elementary School before graduating from Butler Area High School in 2009.Schmidt graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in sports management. In 2014, he received a master's degree in sports management from Old Dominion University.In the fall of 2015, Schmidt was accepted into the priestly formation program, and completed two years of pre-theology studies at Saint Paul Seminary and Duquesne University.He was assigned to Theological College and The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., to begin theological studies.In the summer of 2018, Schmidt participated in the seminarian program of the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.In June 2019, he began his pastoral year assignment at the parishes of Saint Frances Cabrini, Center; Saint John the Baptist, Monaca; Our Lady of Fatima, Hopewell; and Saint Titus, Aliquippa.In fall 2020, Schmidt returned to Theological College and The Catholic University of America for his third year of theological studies.

Schmidt ordination