We were pleased to spend an evening with Cardinal Blase Cupich at the Prist Center on Friday, April 7. The Cardinal joined us to meet 10 deacon ordination candidates and their wives from both the Institute for Diaconal Studies and the Instituto de Liderazgo Pastoral.
Cardinal Cupich acknowledged his thanks for the sacrifices the men and wives offered during their years of formation and is looking forward to ordaining more “leaders” for the archdiocese’s parishes. Indeed, excitement is palpable for May’s upcoming deacon ordination, which, for the first time, includes men not only from IDS and ILP – but also deacon candidates from Mundelein Seminary’s priestly formation program. The unification of all the deacon candidates in one ordination liturgy is a wonderful statement about the Order of Deacon and its strength and service to the people of God.
While sharing his vision for the diaconate in Chicago, Cardial Cupich talked about the deacon’s important role in his Renew My Church initiative. He emphasized that he is counting on deacons to not only take on leadership roles in the process but to animate youth and young people, to be an inspirating and affirming presence so that the next generations might take up a greater participation and share in the vital mission of their parishes and the Church’s presence in the world.
