A lot of things in Rev. Larry Blake’s life preceded his new job at St. Thomas — including marriage and a different religion.

Blake, the new chaplain for the University of St. Thomas, is in his 17th year as an ordained Roman Catholic priest and his 42nd year of marriage.

Blake was a Lutheran minister for nearly 15 years before converting to Catholicism in 1993. Before joining the Lutheran seminary, Blake married and was supported by his wife in his studies.

After being ordained and serving for ten years as a minister, Blake was assigned to a new congregation in Bloomington, Minnesota. During his time in Bloomington, he was introduced to the idea of the Eucharist from an unexpected source – the congregation’s senior pastor.

“He instilled in me the idea that Sunday morning really is about the Eucharist and about preaching the word of God,” Blake said.

The Eucharist was just the first step into Catholicism for Blake. He said he can name three definitive values that attracted him to the Catholic faith: Eucharist as the center of our life, the teaching authority of the church and the tradition. Blake later left the Lutheran church and converted to Catholicism.

“The easiest part was acknowledging that my thinking and my understanding was more Catholic than anything else,” Blake said.

One of the harder parts for Blake was the toll this conversion took on his wife’s family.

“They perceived it as a rejection of who they were,” Blake said. “But this was simply about our journey and the faith community that we identify with.”

“She was definitely ready,” Blake said, “And it was something we did together.”

Following this transition, Blake looked to become involved in ministry again. He enrolled in a few classes at the St. Paul seminary, and after a while began his process of becoming a priest.

At first, Blake had no idea that becoming an ordained priest was even possible because he was married. Some of his friends that were priests told him that a provision from Rome allowed someone who was a former Protestant pastor to join the priesthood.

After help from friends and then-Archbishop Flynn, his case was sent to Rome and shortly after, he was ordained in the Roman Catholic faith. After 11 years as an Air Force chaplain, and three years as a chaplain at Hennepin County Medical Center, Blake found his way to St. Thomas.

Blake believes that his past work as a military and medical chaplain will help him cater to the diversity at St. Thomas. He said that as a military chaplain it is all about inclusivity, and he hopes to bring that to St. Thomas.

“I worked with a lot of people in the Air Force, so this seemed like a natural connection to come over here and do campus ministry,” Blake said.

Because Blake’s situation as a married priest is so unique, he feels that people often find him more relatable to family situations. He also finds that his role as a father and husband differs from that of his fellow priests.

“I can’t just come and go as I please,” Blake said, “There are times where I need to attend to family concerns. So, I might not be as readily available to a parish.”

Sometimes, Blake thinks the hardest part of being a married priest is trying to balance the demands of his ministry and the demands of his family life.

“There are sometimes where there is give and take, and I have to make some decisions for the benefit of the family,” Blake said. “And sometimes, I have to respond to something and the family has to be put aside for the moment.

“When I was in the parish, there were people who would say, ‘We want you to come out for dinner,’ but then I would look and I’d think, ‘Well, I have a soccer game to go to.’”

Blake sometimes feels that his unique situation hinders him from some of the social and fraternity-like aspects that other priests share.

“Priests will travel together and take vacations together,” Blake said, “That has never been something I’ve been a part of for obvious reasons.”

Blake also said that he has been fortunate enough for the Archdiocese to understand his unique situation and compensate him financially so that he is able to support his family.

Blake’s unusual path to Catholicism hasn’t only impacted his family, however. It has served as a source of guidance for students looking to find, or strengthen their faith.

Senior and Catholic studies major Kyle Etzel first met Blake at his home parish, St. Hubert’s in Chanhassen, when he was only 9-years-old. His parents explained to him that Blake was once a Lutheran minister and then he received special permission from the pope to become a priest.

“Looking back, that was one of the first things to draw me more into the church and jumpstart my interest in things Catholic,” Etzel said. “As a convert, and especially a convert who became a priest, I think he’ll bring a fresh breath of zeal for living the Catholic way.”

Blake took over for Fr. Erich Rutten at the beginning of October. Rutten served as the St. Thomas chaplain for nine years and just recently accepted a new position with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Blake is excited about his new position and hopes that his impact is positive and long-lasting.

“I hope to retire here,” Blake said. “It’s certainly a great place to be a chaplain, so I’m very excited about that.”

Peter Monahan can be reached at mona7035@stthomas.edu