More than 130 guests gathered with Bishop Scott Bullock, priests, seminarians, and supporters from across western South Dakota for the annual Surgite Eamus Mass & Dinner, an evening dedicated to celebrating priestly vocations and supporting the formation of future priests for the Diocese of Rapid City. Over 20 volunteers generously shared their time and talents to make the evening possible. Together, guests and supporters raised more than $57,000 for seminarian education and formation, before event expenses.
Celebrating the Priesthood Through Faith and Fellowship
The evening began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Bullock at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, followed by dinner and a program centered on the beauty of the priesthood and the journey of those preparing to answer God’s call.
One of the evening’s highlights was hearing Deacon Josiah Hanson share his vocation story and reflect on the people whose prayers, encouragement, and generosity helped him answer God’s call. He spoke about the role faithful Catholics played in supporting his years of seminary formation and reminded guests that vocations do not develop in isolation. They are fostered through families, parishes, priests, mentors, and communities willing to invest in the next generation of Church leaders.
Watch his vocation story HERE.
The program also featured Bishop Scott Bullock and Fr. Mark McCormick sharing the stories behind their personal chalices, along with several historic chalices from the diocesan archives. Their reflections offered a moving glimpse into the sacred role these vessels play in the celebration of the Eucharist and the lifelong ministry of a priest. Watch the fulll chalice presentation HERE.
Investing in the Future of the Church
The excitement continued with the always-popular Dessert Dash. Guests worked together at their tables to make generous donations, with the highest bidding table earning the first choice of the evening’s desserts. This year’s top table contributed an incredible $5,000. Adding to the fun, Fr. Brian Christensen kept everyone laughing with trivia questions, surprise detours, and playful twists that sent tables to the front, or back, of the dessert line. The beautiful desserts, lovingly prepared by Terri and James Schaefers, were a highlight of the evening and made the Dessert Dash both memorable and delicious.
Throughout the evening, the seminarians were more than honored guests. They welcomed attendees, served as bartenders, visited with supporters, and shared fellowship with those investing in their future. At the end of the evening, they were surprised to split the bartender tips as a small token of appreciation for their service.
Most importantly, the generosity shown during the Surgite Eamus Dinner will help provide the education, spiritual formation, and pastoral preparation needed for the men discerning the priesthood. As Deacon Hanson shared, the support of the faithful gave him the freedom to focus on prayer, formation, and discerning God’s call without the burdens many students face. Through events like Surgite Eamus, donors make that same opportunity possible for current and future seminarians of the Diocese of Rapid City. Every gift helps form the priests who will one day celebrate the sacraments, proclaim the Gospel, and serve communities across western South Dakota.
This great work with the diocese is not just for my vocation and not just for my work here at the Cathedral, but to enter into the greater work of this Church, to continue the formation of priests and seminarians for the next year, the next five years, the next decade, in the next century.
–Deacon Josiah Hanson
While final gifts are still being received, the evening has already generated significant support for seminarian formation, a testament to the generosity of the faithful throughout western South Dakota.
Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, donated, and prayed for our seminarians. Together, we are helping ensure that future generations will continue to experience Christ through the ministry of faithful priests.
