Cardinal Blase Cupich ordained 19 new permanent deacons at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, and Bishop Frank Kane ordained eight transitional deacons at Mundelein Seminary’s Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
“The work of a Deacon is critical to the life of the Church,” Cardinal Cupich said in his homily.
The Diaconate is more than a step on its way to the priesthood. It has its own distinct identity, it is a sacred order that stands on its own, with a threefold focus: it is an office of service at the altar, assisting at Mass, baptisms and weddings; an office of preaching and evangelization; and an office of service to the people.
The permanent deacons prepared for their new ministry through the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. Deacon Bob Puhala and the Institute for Diaconal Studies work closely with English-speaking deacon candidates, while Nelly Lorenzo and the Instituto de Liderazgo Pastoral help the men in the Spanish community prepare for the diaconate. Transitional deacons were ordained after their third year of Theology at Mundelein Seminary, and will return for one more year as Deacons before their ordinations to the priesthood in 2019.
“Permanent and transitional deacons are brothers and collaborators in ministry, and the restoration of the permanent diaconate has inspired a renewed appreciation for the role and identity of a Deacon in the Church. It is a sacrament and a ministry that becomes part of your very identity,” said Bishop Kane to the ordinandi at Mundelein. “You are sacramentally dedicated ministers of the Church. Each of you are to serve the community, to preach and to build up the body of Christ.”
The new permanent deacons are Deacon Thomas Biegel, Deacon Patrick Brenner, Deacon Mark Buckley, Deacon William Burns, Deacon Thomas Carlson, Deacon Ramon Cazales, Deacon Kurt Davis, Deacon Jesus Garcia, Deacon Colin Huie, Deacon Richard Korepanow, Deacon Peter LeTourneau, Deacon Paul Onischuk, Deacon David Pham, Deacon Juan Manuel Rosales, Deacon Manuel Salgado, Deacon Ronald Stricker, Deacon Christoper Weiland, Deacon Conrad Wojnar, and Deacon Kevin Zajdel.
The men ordained as transitional deacons are Deacon Marco Franco Luna, Deacon Patrick Kizza, Deacon Sabelo Luthuli (for Eshowe, South Africa), Deacon Ryan McMillin, Deacon Ton Nguyen, Deacon Matthew Schuster, SJC, Deacon Jay Suero, and Deacon David Yallaly, SJC.
We pray that God the all-powerful Father will mercifully pour out the grace of His blessing on these, His servants whom, in His kindness, He raises to the sacred and holy Order of the Diaconate.
Learn more about the men will be ordained to the transitional diaconate and to priesthood in the coming weeks.
