The Archdiocese of Seattle will grow by two priests June 1 when Archbishop Paul D. Etienne ordains transitional deacons Maximiliano Muñoz and Kyle Rink.

The ordination Mass begins at 10 a.m. at St. James Cathedral in Seattle and will be livestreamed through the archdiocese’s Facebook page and on Vimeo.

Deacon Muñoz is a native of Chile and taught high school before answering the call to the priesthood. He speaks English and Spanish and enjoys reading. Deacon Rink grew up in Puyallup and worked as a civil engineer before entering the seminary. He plays the trumpet and loves being outdoors.

While the two have different backgrounds and interests, “they both embody Jesus’ kenosis, or self-gift that’s inexhaustible,” said Father Justin Ryan, the archdiocese’s director of vocations. “They have what seems an endless capacity to serve the people of God.”

One way that will be evident, Father Ryan said, is through a shared charism for listening.

“They are attentive to people and how the Holy Spirit is working around them,” he said, noting that these men will help those “whose lives move so quickly to hear our Lord’s voice.”

Father Ryan adds that Deacon Muñoz’s experience as a teacher and Deacon Rink’s “passion for college/ young adult ministry will surely be  a gift to our young people.”

For their first assignments, effective July 1, Deacon Muñoz will be a parochial vicar at All Saints Parish in Puyallup, St. Martin of Tours Parish in Fife and Sacred Heart Parish in Tacoma. Deacon Rink will be a parochial vicar at the Vancouver parishes of Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Joseph and the Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater.

You can find the assignments, effective July 1, for all the priests in the archdiocese here.

Learn more about our ordinands below.

What was your life like before you joined the seminary?

I worked as a Catholic high school teacher and a lay ecclesial minister. Life looked pretty normal, with both roles being fulfilling and promising. I had a pretty firm routine of hard work, which I didn’t really mind — I loved my jobs!

What person or experience most influenced your call  to the priesthood?

Apart from my grandma’s gift and witness of faith, several priests inspired me to embrace this call. I am particularly grateful to Msgr. Juan Suárez and Msgr. Bernardo Herrera (+), priests in Santiago de Chile, who encouraged and supported me in my discernment. I got to work with many different priests throughout the 5-plus years I worked for the church, and all of them inspired me in different ways.

What do you most look forward to about being a priest?

Celebrating the sacraments for and with the people, as well as encountering them in the different settings of a parish. I have felt particularly inclined to work with couples discerning marriage and married couples discerning ways to improve their marriage. I hope to be able to offer the best of the little I have to walk with them and be disciples together.

What gives you hope about the future of the church?

The active presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church is my only source of hope. In our local church, Partners in the Gospel both encourages me and challenges me to find ways to help strengthen our parishes and empower our lay ecclesial ministers. I am already looking forward to the pastoral program of evangelization that will come after our efforts, and I pray that the Holy Spirit may continue guiding our bishops in this process.

Who or what inspires you?

Pope Francis is my priestly model. His vision for the church animates me to learn new ways to live out the priesthood in a spirit of joy. His openness to genuine dialogue is, I think, a key element for the evangelization  of our society.

What charism(s) do you think you bring to the priesthood?

Throughout my time in seminary, I have been described as a joyful and effusive personality. Some colleagues have also described me as a passionate, even “theatrical” preacher. My hope is that I can put all the formation received in seminary into good practice and be a good associate to my pastor, and that the people of God may continue forming me and teaching me about how to be their priest.

What would you like parishioners to know about you?

That I am profoundly grateful for everything you have done for me throughout the years, and that, without them, I wouldn’t be here.

What was your life like before you joined the seminary?

I attended Boise State University to study civil engineering. I became engaged in activities like marching band and the St. Paul’s Student Center, where I discovered the value of Catholic community and enjoyed being part of retreats, Bible studies and eventually the leadership team. This is also where I first heard a calling to the priesthood; it was like a little tug on my heart whenever I saw the priest offering Mass or spiritual direction. Still, I wanted to use my degree, so I took a job in Seattle while continuing to discern in community at Vianney House. I learned a lot about life in the real world, witnessed the day-to-day life of a priest and, most importantly, learned that I was not called to be an engineer!

What person or experience most influenced your call  to the priesthood?

Many people — priests, lay women and men and religious sisters — have profoundly shaped my vocation. The first person who opened me to the possibility of priesthood was Allan Grafe, the administrator at my university Newman Center. He gave a talk on discernment that made me realize I had never actually asked God what he wanted for my life — and especially that I hadn’t really opened myself to other vocations besides marriage.

What do you most look forward to about being a priest?

Helping individuals find Christ through difficult parts  of their life. I have seen the incredible effect that a good priest can have, and I hope to offer the same through the grace of God, through the sacraments and through my relationship with the Lord.

What gives you hope about the future of the church?

Whenever I see acts of selfless faith from Catholics, I find great hope for the future knowing that God is working through them — whether it’s a young couple making the commitment to marriage, an elderly woman scooting her way into the adoration chapel for the 3 a.m. Holy Hour shift or a random act of kindness.

Who or what inspires you?

I am most inspired whenever I see people who give themselves to the max. This includes saints and holy people like Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Teresa of Calcutta and family members, such as my parents, who have dedicated themselves to their families at the expense of their own wants. This encourages me as I seek to lay down my life to Christ and his church.

What charism(s) do you think you bring to the priesthood?

God has blessed me with the gifts of compassion, simplicity and loyalty. I think that I will be the kind of priest who is dedicated to his ministry and is present to people and their needs. I hope to use my love for music to beautify the celebration of the Mass and my love of the outdoors to lead young people on adventures where they can encounter God.

What would you like parishioners to know about you?

That my life has been totally changed and fulfilled by knowing and following the Lord Jesus Christ, and I desire every person to have the same experience!

Four questions with Kyle and Maximiliano

This article appeared in the June/July 2024 issue of Northwest Catholic magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.