Diocese welcomes larger seminarian class

Seminarians join in a Mass procession in this Diocese of Little Rock file photo from June 2018.

Robby Bartos, 18, a member of St. Anne Church in Berryville. The son of Robert Bartos and Cindy Fiveash will live in the House of Formation in Little Rock.

Ryan Carlson, 26, a member of St. Michael Church in Van Buren. The son of Douglas Carlson-Boyd and Melanie Carlson-Elizondo will attend St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana.

Chase Feltner, 38, a member of St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Fayetteville. Feltner, son of John and Karen Feltner, will also attend St. Meinrad.

Ethan Harris, 23, a member of St. Michael Church in Van Buren. Harris, son of Damon Harris and Tracie Harris, will live at the House of Formation.

Seminarian Nghiep Hoang, 22, was accepted in January. The member of St. Anthony Church in Weiner lives at the House of Formation and attends classes at the UA-Little Rock. He is the son of Tri Van Hoang and Hoa Thi Le Han of Vietnam.

Ben Keating, 24, a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith. Keating, son of Bill Keating and Janice Keating, will study at St. Meinrad.

Jack Smith, 18, a member of St. Jude Church in Jacksonville. Smith, son of Thomas Smith and Margaret Smith, will live at the House of Formation.

Jesus Tovar, 18, a member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro. Tovar, son of Rodolfo Martinez and Elizabeth Pacheco, will live at the House of Formation.

Phillip Zawislak, 18, a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. Zawislak, son of John and Vera Zawislak, will live at the House of Formation.

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The Diocese of Little Rock accepted eight men as seminarians this fall, bringing the total number of seminarians to 25. It is the largest class of new seminarians since 2012.

They are:

Robby Bartos, 18, a member of St. Anne Church in Berryville. The son of Robert Bartos and Cindy Fiveash will live in the House of Formation in Little Rock.
Ryan Carlson, 26, a member of St. Michael Church in Van Buren. The son of Douglas Carlson-Boyd and Melanie Carlson-Elizondo will attend St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana.
Chase Feltner, 38, a member of St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Fayetteville. Feltner, son of John and Karen Feltner, will also attend St. Meinrad.
Ethan Harris, 23, a member of St. Michael Church in Van Buren. Harris, son of Damon Harris and Tracie Harris, will live at the House of Formation.
Ben Keating, 24, a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith. Keating, son of Bill Keating and Janice Keating, will study at St. Meinrad.
Jesus Tovar, 18, a member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro. Tovar, son of Rodolfo Martinez and Elizabeth Pacheco, will live at the House of Formation.
Jack Smith, 18, a member of St. Jude Church in Jacksonville. Smith, son of Thomas Smith and Margaret Smith, will live at the House of Formation.
Phillip Zawislak, 18, a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. Zawislak, son of John and Vera Zawislak, will live at the House of Formation.
Seminarian Nghiep Hoang, 22, was accepted in January. The member of St. Anthony Church in Weiner lives at the House of Formation and attends classes at the UA-Little Rock. He is the son of Tri Van Hoang and Hoa Thi Le Han of Vietnam.

Returning seminarians are:

Deacon Cody Eveld of Charleston
Duwan Booker, Elijah Bailey and Joshua Osborne of Conway
Quinton Thomas of Jonesboro
Christopher Elser, Sam Ray and Pedro Alvarez, all of Little Rock
Tuan Do and Joseph Minh Phong Nguyen of North Little Rock
Samuel Stengel of Paris
Jackson Nichols of Pocahontas
Andrew Schaefer, Phil Necessary and Joel Brackett of Rogers
Steve Wilson of Stuttgart

Eveld is scheduled to be ordained a priest May 25, 2024, at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. Brackett is scheduled to be ordained a deacon May 15, 2024, in his home parish.