Seminarians David Curtin and Hyland Smith will be ordained transitional deacons by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 28, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Curtin is from Cathedral Parish and Smith is from St. Michael Parish in Greenfield.

In the fall, Curtin will be in his last year at St. Meinrad School of Theology, in St. Meinrad, Ind., and Smith will be in his last year at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein. Both men are studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

David Curtin

Curtin grew up on a farm in Christian County, the eighth of nine children of Lawrence and Patricia Curtin. "We had great parents who taught and led by example our Catholic faith," the seminarian writes on the diocesan vocation webpage."

After graduating from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Curtin moved to Springfield to get involved in politics. He volunteered on political campaigns, served an internship in the Secretary of State's Office when (now former Gov.) Jim Edgar was secretary of state, worked for five years as a legislative assistant on the Senate Republican staff, and lobbied for several years on a variety of issues, most of which were pro-life issues.

"I lobbied for the Catholic Church in the 1990s when State Sen. Peter Fitzgerald led the fight to stop the legalization of marriage between people of the same sex."

At the same time he was involved in activities around Cathedral Parish, starting as an usher, then a extraordinary minister of holy Communion. He served on the steering committee that created the parish council.

"People would tell me 'you would make a great priest' in the past, but I wanted to keep involved in politics. I decided to pray about it," he said.

Curtin went through a year of discernment with Father Dean Probst, who had served an internship in Stonington when he was a seminarian, and Curtin had gotten to know him. "But then I dropped it," says Curtin.

Cathedral pastor Father Peter Harman suggested Curtin enter a period of discernment with Father David Hoefler, who also was older when he entered the seminary. Curtin said he prayed about it, and in 2008 went to Mundelein to study philosophy, and then to St. Meinrad for theology.

"My whole family is very supportive of my decision. I have 26 nieces and nephews. All but two of my siblings live in this area," he said.

Father Harman will vest him at his diaconate ordination.

Hyland Smith

Hyland Smith grew up in Green County. His parents are deceased, and "Doc" James and Doris Reed in Greenfield call him one of their two adopted sons with their five daughters. He went to elementary school in Carrollton, and graduated from Greenfield High School in 1995. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and returned to EIU to earn his master's degree in clinical psychology in 2006.

Born and raised a Southern Baptist, Smith says he was active in the church when he was younger, "but when I went away to college, I drifted away from the faith."

"Then later, when my mother had passed away, I was searching for something and the Lord drew me to the (Catholic) church in Greenfield," he said.

Doris Reed went through the RCIA process with Smith.

"Father Henry Schmidt received me and confirmed me at the Easter Vigil in 2004 at St. John's Church in Carrollton. I had been working on my master's in psychology at Eastern Illinois University before that, and everything was finished but my thesis."

He began working in Jacksonville as a counselor with youth who were on probation, but realized that even though he enjoyed being a counselor, he felt drawn to the seminary.

"I had talked to Father John Titus, the diocesan vocation director at the time, and had several conversations with Bishop (George) Lucas, and had prayed a lot," he said.

When he went back to talk with Bishop Lucas, he received permission to enter the seminary in August 2007. He studied philosophy for two years, completed several field education projects helping out with the youth at St. Margaret Mary in Algonquin, and served a parish internship in Cass County with Father Christopher Brey. "My Spanish improved from 'very little' to 'a little more,'" Smith said.

This summer he is going to Advocate BroMenn Center for clinical pastoral education and will be living at a parish in Bloomington/Normal.

While in his final year of theology he will be given a parish assignment in the Chicago area.

Deacon Scott Snider will vest him at his diaconate ordination.