The Diocese of Allentown welcomed six new Transitional Deacons during a Diaconate Ordination Mass, May 17 at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown. This was the largest class ordained to the Transitional Diaconate since 1981.
The Ordination brought the men into the first degree of Holy Orders. The main celebrant of the Mass was Bishop Alfred Schlert.
The joyous occasion began with the processional hymn “Go Up to the Altar of God,” sung by the Diocesan Choir, directed by Beverly McDevitt. The candidates processed in alongside priests from the Diocese of Allentown and visiting clergy from neighboring dioceses.
Also in the procession were fourth degree Knights of Columbus, Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and Knights of Malta. Bishop Schlert welcomed the congregation of family, friends, and other members of the faithful community present in support of the soon-to-be ordained.
“What a glorious day for the Church in Allentown to have, before us, these six new Transitional Deacons,” said Bishop Schlert. “We give thanks to God so abundantly and so fervently for thesegifts because certainly a vocation is a work of the Holy Spirit. It's a grace of God, but it also requires the support of family members and friends. So, I thank all who have helped support them in this journey that we hope, God willing, next year will lead to the second grade of Holy Orders, which of course is the Priesthood.”
The six men are: Rev. Mr. Dominic Civitella, Rev. Mr. Tyler Davis, Rev. Mr. Tyler Loch, Rev. Mr. Anh Do Mai, Rev. Mr. Hy James Gia Ngô, and Rev. Mr. Jeffrey Tomczyk. They were profiled in the May 8 issue of the AD Times and on AD Today here.
Upon their Ordination, they will proclaim the Gospel at their assigned parishes and preach homilies at the discretion of the pastor. Additionally, they will assist during Mass by leading prayers, helping with Communion, and caring for the sacred vessels. Beyond the liturgy, they may baptize, preside at weddings outside of Mass, and lead the Rite of Committal following funerals.
At the Ordination, the Liturgy of the Word began focusing on the themes of discernment, love,and spiritual calling. The first reading from Acts of the Apostles was read by Maggie Riggins, Diocesan Executive Director of Evangelization and Formation. This passage focused on the call of the Holy Spirit and the mission of bearing witness to the faith – both of which these men intend to fulfill as Deacons in the Diocese.
The second reading, from Timothy, was read in Vietnamese by Anh Duc Mai. It laid the character formation and discernment of those entering the Diaconate.
Finally, the Gospel of John reflected on Jesus’ greatest commandment: to love one another. This command serves as a central calling for Transitional Deacons. It was read by Rev. Mr. Robert Rienzo, currently a Transitional Deacon for the Diocese who is scheduled to be ordained a priest on June 7.
After the readings, Bishop Schlert initiated the Rite of Ordination. It began with the Calling and Election of the Candidates, where each was presented by name as a worthy recipient of Ordination. Within the rite, those in attendance at the Mass were asked for their consent.
After his homily, the Bishop questioned the candidates on their readiness for ministry and asked them to commit to lifelong celibacy. The choir sang the Litany of Supplication as the men lay prostrate before the altar, a traditional sign of submission to God.
The Bishop then laid hands on the candidates and offered the Prayer of Ordination invoking the Holy Spirit to descend upon the men. The men were then vested with their stole and dalmatic, both of which set them apart as servants to the people of the Church. Once vested, the men were presented with the Book of the Gospels and shared in the kiss of peace with all deacons and priests in attendance.
At the end of the Mass, Bishop Schlert spoke to the congregation of how these six men are a sign of a greater movement in the Church with people turning to the Faith.
“I just read a statistic today, that Google has released, that indicates the search for how to become a Catholic has gone up 373%,” said the Bishop. “And I would present that today our hope is even more well-founded when we see these six young men who have said yes to be ministers of the Gospel.”
He reminded the faithful in attendance the duty of the new deacons. “It’s not hard to forget that the diaconate is a role of service – service to their Bishop and service to the people of God … we are so blessed, and we thank God each and every day for all of the gifts He gives us. But in a special way today, [we thank Him] when He has given us six tremendous gifts of new men to the Diaconate.”
The Ordination Mass may be viewed on the Diocese of Allentown YouTube page.
Photos by Norm Steinruck.
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