It was standing-room only in a “joyfully full” St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria on May 25 when Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, ordained four men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Peoria.

In ancient rites of ordination including the laying on of hands, Bishop Jenky conferred the sacrament of holy orders on the following. Their first assignments, effective on Wednesday, June 12, are also listed.

— Father Jeremy M. Freehill, son of Richard and Beverly Freehill. He will become parochial vicar of St. Pius X Parish, Rock Island

— Father Thomas J. Otto, son of Donald and Charlene Otto. He will become parochial vicar of Holy Cross Parish, Mendota; Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Peterstown; and St. Teresa of Avila Parish, Earlville

— Father Scott Potthoff, son of Stephen and Diana Potthoff. He will become parochial vicar of St. Joseph’s Parish, Pekin, and Sacre Coeur Parish, Creve Coeur

— Father Jacob M. Rose, son of Gary and Rosemary Rose. He will become parochial vicar of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Streator, St. Patrick’s Parish, Seneca, and chaplain of Marquette Academy, Ottawa.

Biographies of each new priest, compiled before their ordinations, appeared in the May 12 issue of The Catholic Post and may be found online here.

In the photo above, the newly ordained join Bishop Jenky in blessing the assembly at the conclusion of Mass. From left are Father Freehill, Father Otto, Father Rose, and Father Potthoff. To Bishop Jenky’s left is Msgr. Stanley Deptula, rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Dozens more photos from Catholic Post staff will be placed on our photo site by Thursday, June 6. They may be viewed and, if desired, purchased by clicking on the camera icon on the left of this web page. A representative sample of photos is also being placed on The Catholic Post’s site on Facebook.

In addition to the families and friends of the newly ordained who filled the cathedral balconies and side chapels, more than 100 diocesan priests were present as well as dozens of permanent deacons and diocesan seminarians. Also in the opening procession were Abbot Philip Davey of St. Bede Abbey in Peru, and Bishop Camillo Ballin, a visiting prelate who is apostolic vicar from Bahrain in Northern Arabia.

While rain fell outside, making the traditional posed photo on the balcony of the bishop’s residence impossible, “inside this cathedral there is nothing but light and joy,” said Bishop Jenky. During the ordination rite, he twice referred to the newly ordained as “my dear sons.” As he presented each with the Book of the Gospels, he reminded them to “believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”

Following the Mass, the priests offered first blessings and greeted well-wishers at a reception at the Spalding Pastoral Center.

“They’re an amazing bunch of guys,” said Steve Potthoff of Spring Valley, father of Father Potthoff. Noting the candidates — and their families — have bonded through the last eight years of seminary formation, he added “I know they’ll be great priests.”

For a related story on the history of the chalices that were consecrated for the new priests’ use, click here.