^{Newly ordained priest Fr Nicholas Diedler, with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, fourth from left, and from left, Vicar General, the Very Rev Fr Peter Whitely VG, Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton and Seminary Rector, Fr Francis Nguyen, Friday 24 March at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

What does it mean to be a Catholic Priest in the Lord’s Church today?

This was the question posed by Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB at the Ordination to the Priesthood of former St Charles Seminary student Nicholas Diedler.

The Ordination to the Priesthood – one of three so far happening in Perth this year – took place at St Mary’s Cathedral on Friday 24 March, and was celebrated by Archbishop Costelloe.

Joining Archbishop Costelloe for the occasion was Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Vicar General the very Rev Fr Peter Whitely VG, Episcopal Vicar Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn, Vicar for Clergy, the Very Rev Fr Minh Thuy Nguyen, St Charles Seminary Rector, Fr Francis Nguyen, Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey and assisted by Deacons Jason Yeap and Errol Lobo.

Some 50 clergy from across Perth also joined the Archbishop for the occasion.

^{In ordaining Perth born Nicholas Diedler to the Priesthood, Friday 24 March at St Mary’s Cathedral, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe explained that it is God who has given us the gift of the ordained ministry as an indispensable ministry of service to God’s holy people. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

Continuing his homily, Archbishop Costelloe explained that it is God who has given us the gift of the ordained ministry as an indispensable ministry of service to God’s holy people.

“It is God who has stepped into Nicholas’s life, forming and shaping him for what is about to take place in his life this evening,” Archbishop Costelloe said.

“And it is God, in the mystery of his providence, who has given Nicholas the grace he needs, and the people he needs, to help him say yes to the Lord who calls.

“Tonight, I hope and pray that the question of the psalmist - how can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?- is both on Nicholas’s lips and in his heart.”

^{Newly ordained priest Fr Nicholas Diedler, with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton and Fr Nicholas’s parents Jochen and Maria-Luisa, and siblings Stephanie, far left, Alexander, fourth from left and Maximillian, far right, Friday 24 March at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

Perth born 28-year-old Nicholas grew up in Kingsley and attended the Cathedral Parish, joining St Charles Seminary in 2014 at the age of 19. He was ordained to the (Transitional) Diaconate Saturday 12 March 2022 at St John Paul II Church, Banksia Grove Parish amidst the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking about his vocation journey, Fr Nicholas said that for him, growing up in a strong Catholic family and having the privilege to serve as an altar boy with his brothers at prepared the foundation of his journey towards the priesthood.

“I am so very grateful to my parents who said yes to the will of God in giving me the capacity to live our faith at home,” Fr Nicholas said.

^{Newly ordained priest Fr Nicholas Diedler thanks his parents for the gift of faith following his Ordination to the Priesthood, Friday 24 March at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

“From my earliest days as an altar boy, I grew to love serving God in the liturgy which has progressed to me now being ordained a priest with an open heart and mind to listen to the will of God,” he explained.

“I had begun to consider seriously a priestly vocation in the last few years of high school, and then after engaging various career opportunities, I made the choice to enter the seminary and there seriously pursue this vocation and discern the will of God,” Fr Nicholas said.

Continuing his homily, Archbishop Costelloe also proposed to the congregation present to question what it means for a priest - and what will it now mean for Nicholas - to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus?

^{Archbishop Costelloe hears the final vows of Perth Deacon Nicholas Diedler during Nicholas’ Ordination to the Priesthood, Friday 24 March at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

“It means that as a priest, Nicholas must realise and make real each day that he is being called not to do his own will, but the will of the One who sent him,” Archbishop Costelloe explained.

“Part of this, of course, will be his generous and wholehearted embrace of his promise of respect and obedience to his bishop.

“But it is more than that: ultimately it is obedience to God himself in all the ways he makes his will known,” he said.

^{St Mary’s Cathedral Director of Music Jacinta Jakovcevic leads the choir during the Ordination to the Priesthood of Nicholas Diedler, Friday 24 March. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

^{Perth Deacon Nicholas Diedler lays prostrate during his Ordination to the Priesthood for the singing of the Litany of the Saints, Friday 24 March at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.}

Fr Nicholas has been appointed Assistant Priest to the Parish of Yangebup.