Left to right: AMS Auxiliary Bishop Gregg Caggianelli, Father Conrad Jaconette, and Bishop William Medley in Owensboro, KY, on May 31, 2025. Archdiocese for the Military Services
A young man preparing for military chaplaincy was ordained to the priesthood on May 31 in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Father Conrad T. Jaconette, who also holds the rank of second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) was ordained for the Diocese of Owensboro with plans to serve the military as a chaplain in the coming years, according to a press release from the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS).
The ordination took place at Saint Stephen Cathedral, with Bishop William F. Medley officiating the liturgy. Auxiliary Bishop Gregg M. Caggianelli from the AMS was also present for the occasion, which drew family members and friends from the local area.
Fr. Jaconette’s journey to the priesthood began after college. He said that following graduation, he faced uncertainty about his future and entered seminary to discern more deeply.
“I was applying to medical schools, in a serious relationship, and was unsure what God was asking of me,” he said, according to the release. “I needed to discern my next step in life properly — this is what got me in the doors of seminary. It took years of fruitful formation for God to show me that He wanted to use me as one of His priests.”
An alumnus of Western Kentucky University with a degree in biochemistry, Fr. Jaconette later completed theological studies at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Indiana, earning degrees in Catholic philosophy and divinity.
Before joining USAF full-time, Fr. Jaconette will serve in parish ministry for three years. His first assignment places him as parochial vicar of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Hopkinsville. This period of parish work is part of a co-sponsorship agreement between his home diocese and the AMS, which prepares priests for eventual service in the armed forces.
He is one of nine co-sponsored priests ordained this year as the AMS continues its efforts to address the ongoing shortage of Catholic chaplains across the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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