“Daniel, you have come a long way to get to this point in your life," said Bishop Gruss during his homily message. "From truck driver to seminarian and now to transitional deacon. You must have a lot of patience and persistence! Most guys would have given up.

"You have jumped over every hurdle put in front of you. It probably seems like a mountain you have climbed. But, here you are today, standing before the Lord [and all of us], ready to take this important step on the path toward priesthood. We are all proud of you for your accomplishments.”

In his note to the faithful, Deacon Daniel thanked Bishop Gruss and all those who have helped him on his journey.

“I want to thank my parents, Paul and Susan Christe, for never giving up on me,” he said. “Even when I was away from the practice of the faith, you still prayed that I would find my way back to the faith and follow my calling. You always supported this calling, even from an early age. I would like to thank my many siblings who supported me as I began and continue to support me through my formation. I especially want to thank my sister Jeannie. I know that it is through your prayers in heaven that I found my way back to the Church and this call to the priesthood.”

Deacon Daniel can now proclaim the Gospel during Mass. During the Rite of Ordination, Bishop Gruss presented him the Book of the Gospels, saying, “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”

“It is his Gospel that you proclaim and preach, not yours; it is the Word of God, not our own!” Bishop Gruss said. “It must be preached without compromise, without accommodation, fear or hesitation, in a culture hostile of Christianity. But when preached through the heart of Jesus with deep love, it can cut through every ambiguity and knows how to touch even the hardest hearts."

Deacon Daniel will continue his formation, completing his final year at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Franklin, Wisconsin, with hopes of being ordained a priest next year.