16 new permanent deacons ordained
Event marks "significant and memorable moment" in the life of diocese, says Bishop Loverde
Permanent Diaconate Ordination
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1/15/11
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Posted on 01/15/2011 9:48:08 PM PST by Salvation
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1/15/11
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It was a good day to be a deacon.
From both the "old hats," including retired Deacon Sam Taub who was ordained a permanent deacon in 1973, and the 16 "new kids on the block," who were ordained Saturday morning, a spirit of joy and gratitude filled the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
"Welcome to the family." "God bless you." "Congratulations." These words, accompanied by big smiles, hugs and slaps on the back, spilled from the lips of the already-ordained deacons as they welcomed the new men into their special brotherhood during Mass' Kiss of Peace.
The group of newly ordained consisted of the largest number of men to be ordained — priests or deacons — in the history of the Arlington Diocese, said Bishop Loverde at the beginning of the Mass. And it was the first ordination of permanent deacons in Arlington in more than 20 years. As such, Saturday was "a day of great rejoicing" and "of much promise and hope for the pastoral care of God's people," the bishop said.
(See photos and full bios of each new deacon here.)
The deacons' wives, filling the front pews of the catherdral and sitting directly behind their husbands, prayed, smiled and wiped tears from their eyes as they watched their husbands respond to God's call.
"It's such a joyful and wonderful feeling inside," said Mary Lynne Ochenkowski of her husband, Deacon Paul Ochenkowski's, ordination to the permanent diaconate. "When the bishop put his hands on (Paul's) head, then I knew he had the sacrament of holy orders."
"The joy is more than I can put into words," said Deacon Ochenkowski. "The feeling is absolutely wonderful."
Deacon Alberto Bernaola said he was on "cloud 99."
"I'm just in awe," he said, and looking forward to getting to work in his assigned parish.
(See the deacon's new assignments here.)
Father Thomas Ferguson, director of diaconate formation, said that when Bishop Loverde laid his hands on the heads of the deacons it was like witnessing that act as first carried out by the apostles.
"It really was our link to the apostles choosing the first deacons," he said.
Father Furguson said the ordination filled him with much joy. And he knows that these men — these "very prayerful and very dedicated" new deacons — will successfully live their lives as the "good and faithful servants" they were, on Saturday, ordained to be.
Catholic Ping!
Absolutely! Wonderful to hear this. God bless them, truly. I’d love to see more of this.
(For those unfamiliar with the role of deacons in the Church, see these links, please)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04647c.htm
http://www.catholic.com/library/Bishop_Priest_and_Deacon.asp
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_Deacon%27s_role_in_the_Catholic_church
We need to continually pray for our priests and deacons. They have much to do. May God richly bless them.
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