Bishop ordains five transitional deacons
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Melissa Dugan | Correspondent
On a day of profound meaning for men answering the call to serve God and the Church, Juan Gabriel Rojas was “very, very happy.”
As one of five seminarians ordained May 19 as transitional deacons by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Rev. Mr. Rojas shared his joy at beginning “the ministry of my whole life.”
Click HERE for gallery of photos.
For Rev. Messrs. Rojas, Carlos Aguirre, Jorge Bedoya, Garry R. Koch, and Juan Camilo Perez, ordination to the diaconate, held in the St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, was a significant moment in their religious formation. It also foreshadowed their ordination to the priesthood next year.
The ordination Mass, celebrated by Bishop O’Connell and concelebrated by clergy from across the diocese, began with the introductory rites and the Liturgy of the Word, in both English and Spanish.
“What a joy it is to ordain these men to the diaconate,” Bishop O’Connell expressed in his gathering remarks. “I extend to them, and to their families, and to all present, the warmest welcome and congratulations,” said the bishop, who acknowledged the Colombian roots of several of the candidates, and their many friends and family members from the South American country.
“Let us enter into this celebration with joy and gratitude for what God has given us, and most of all, for these five men who have come to answer his call,” he encouraged.
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell explained, “The diaconate is the call of seven men in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles,” he explained. The Bible identifies Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas of Antioch as the seven men whom the apostles designated for service at Jerusalem. From the very beginning, the diaconate has been a ministry of service.
“Jesus taught his disciples through love and service. The Lord loved them to the end. The way the Lord showed his love for them was to teach them what it meant to be a disciple. To teach them, he showed them what it meant to serve.
“Yours will be a ministry of the Word, of the altar, and of charity,” Bishop O’Connell continued. “To preach the Word, you must first hear it, and understand it. To serve well at the altar, you must love the mysteries that you celebrate. And to care for God’s people, you must be filled with a profound sense of charity and love to the end,” he said.
The ministry of a deacon includes proclaiming the Gospel and preaching homilies during Mass. They evangelize and offer instruction. Deacons also prepare the altar, distribute the Body and Blood, offer Viaticum to the sick, assist at marriages and funerals, baptize infants and generally serve those in need.
“My brothers, believe that the Lord loves you, and will love you to the end,” the bishop reminded them. “Your calling is to share his love, with all of the people of God, in continuity with all who have come before you, not only in our diocese, but in our Church.”
“You five men are the successors to those first deacons, and I am the successor to the apostles,” Bishop O’Connell said.
The Rite of Ordination began with the presentation of the candidates to the bishop, followed by his acknowledgment of their election. Assisting the bishop were Father Dennis A. Apoldite, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, and director of Sacred Heart House of Priestly Formation, and Msgr. Gregory D. Vaughan, vicar general and diocesan director of vocations.
The ordination rite continued as the candidates made a profession of celibacy and obedience, representing their interior devotion to Christ and readiness to freely serve God and his people. They then prostrated themselves before the altar for the singing of the Litany of Saints, an extraordinarily moving moment in the ritual when all present pray for God’s mercy and the intercessory prayers of the saints for the soon-to-be transitional deacons.
The Rite of Ordination culminated in the “Laying on of Hands,” when the bishop placed his hands upon the head of each candidate and recited the consecration prayer, signifying their ordination. They were then vested with the stole and dalmatic, the traditional diaconate vestments signifying the office and the role of the diaconate in celebrating the Eucharist.
The ordination rite concluded with the presentation of the Book of the Gospels. “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are,” the bishop charged the newly ordained. “Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”
At a reception following Mass the new deacons had an opportunity to celebrate with their friends and family members.
And, for Rev. Mr. Juan Rojas, it was also a chance to share his happiness with his parish family. He was assigned to St. Catharine’s Parish, Holmdel, as a seminarian, and he will continue to serve there as a deacon. More than 20 parishioners traveled to witness his ordination.
“He has been counting the hours to this day,” parishioner Corine Kavanagh said. “We love to be around him. He’s a wonderful religious and spiritual man who is seldom without a smile. He is wonderful with people, and makes a wonderful impression.”
Walter Hrycenko said he was “emotional” and “honored” to be at the ordination of his longtime friend Rev. Mr. Garry R. Koch. They met as faculty members at Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft. “He is very dedicated to the Church and to his friends. He has shared his faith with everyone he comes in contact with.”
“Mr. Koch was definitely my favorite teacher, and he was always someone I could talk to about anything,” agreed former CBA student Matt Somerville, who made the trip to Trenton from Delaware.
Parishioners and friends of Rev. Messrs. Jorge Bedoya and Juan Perez shared their observations. “Jorge has inspired the altar servers and everyone involved with the liturgy,” noted parishioner Patty Boyce. “Juan is super charismatic, and is open to the spirit,” friend Janette Jimenez explained.
For Janice Szelich, the ordination of Carlos Aguirre was an opportunity to finally meet her seminary prayer partner. “I have been praying for him and his vocation for years,” explained the parishioner from St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square. They were assigned through a special vocations prayer group.
“I feel the grace of all of the people who have helped me,” Rev. Mr. Aguirre acknowledged with gratitude. “I feel the grace of God and the Holy Spirit. I cannot believe that I am a deacon. It is so special.”
“I am ordained for the people, to bring the Gospel to all of them. They are waiting for me,” he said.
To read the biographies of the newly ordained deacons, please visit www.trentonmonitor.com.
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By Melissa Dugan | Correspondent
On a day of profound meaning for men answering the call to serve God and the Church, Juan Gabriel Rojas was “very, very happy.”
As one of five seminarians ordained May 19 as transitional deacons by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Rev. Mr. Rojas shared his joy at beginning “the ministry of my whole life.”
Click HERE for gallery of photos.
For Rev. Messrs. Rojas, Carlos Aguirre, Jorge Bedoya, Garry R. Koch, and Juan Camilo Perez, ordination to the diaconate, held in the St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, was a significant moment in their religious formation. It also foreshadowed their ordination to the priesthood next year.
The ordination Mass, celebrated by Bishop O’Connell and concelebrated by clergy from across the diocese, began with the introductory rites and the Liturgy of the Word, in both English and Spanish.
“What a joy it is to ordain these men to the diaconate,” Bishop O’Connell expressed in his gathering remarks. “I extend to them, and to their families, and to all present, the warmest welcome and congratulations,” said the bishop, who acknowledged the Colombian roots of several of the candidates, and their many friends and family members from the South American country.
“Let us enter into this celebration with joy and gratitude for what God has given us, and most of all, for these five men who have come to answer his call,” he encouraged.
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell explained, “The diaconate is the call of seven men in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles,” he explained. The Bible identifies Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas of Antioch as the seven men whom the apostles designated for service at Jerusalem. From the very beginning, the diaconate has been a ministry of service.
“Jesus taught his disciples through love and service. The Lord loved them to the end. The way the Lord showed his love for them was to teach them what it meant to be a disciple. To teach them, he showed them what it meant to serve.
“Yours will be a ministry of the Word, of the altar, and of charity,” Bishop O’Connell continued. “To preach the Word, you must first hear it, and understand it. To serve well at the altar, you must love the mysteries that you celebrate. And to care for God’s people, you must be filled with a profound sense of charity and love to the end,” he said.
The ministry of a deacon includes proclaiming the Gospel and preaching homilies during Mass. They evangelize and offer instruction. Deacons also prepare the altar, distribute the Body and Blood, offer Viaticum to the sick, assist at marriages and funerals, baptize infants and generally serve those in need.
“My brothers, believe that the Lord loves you, and will love you to the end,” the bishop reminded them. “Your calling is to share his love, with all of the people of God, in continuity with all who have come before you, not only in our diocese, but in our Church.”
“You five men are the successors to those first deacons, and I am the successor to the apostles,” Bishop O’Connell said.
The Rite of Ordination began with the presentation of the candidates to the bishop, followed by his acknowledgment of their election. Assisting the bishop were Father Dennis A. Apoldite, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, and director of Sacred Heart House of Priestly Formation, and Msgr. Gregory D. Vaughan, vicar general and diocesan director of vocations.
The ordination rite continued as the candidates made a profession of celibacy and obedience, representing their interior devotion to Christ and readiness to freely serve God and his people. They then prostrated themselves before the altar for the singing of the Litany of Saints, an extraordinarily moving moment in the ritual when all present pray for God’s mercy and the intercessory prayers of the saints for the soon-to-be transitional deacons.
The Rite of Ordination culminated in the “Laying on of Hands,” when the bishop placed his hands upon the head of each candidate and recited the consecration prayer, signifying their ordination. They were then vested with the stole and dalmatic, the traditional diaconate vestments signifying the office and the role of the diaconate in celebrating the Eucharist.
The ordination rite concluded with the presentation of the Book of the Gospels. “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are,” the bishop charged the newly ordained. “Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”
At a reception following Mass the new deacons had an opportunity to celebrate with their friends and family members.
And, for Rev. Mr. Juan Rojas, it was also a chance to share his happiness with his parish family. He was assigned to St. Catharine’s Parish, Holmdel, as a seminarian, and he will continue to serve there as a deacon. More than 20 parishioners traveled to witness his ordination.
“He has been counting the hours to this day,” parishioner Corine Kavanagh said. “We love to be around him. He’s a wonderful religious and spiritual man who is seldom without a smile. He is wonderful with people, and makes a wonderful impression.”
Walter Hrycenko said he was “emotional” and “honored” to be at the ordination of his longtime friend Rev. Mr. Garry R. Koch. They met as faculty members at Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft. “He is very dedicated to the Church and to his friends. He has shared his faith with everyone he comes in contact with.”
“Mr. Koch was definitely my favorite teacher, and he was always someone I could talk to about anything,” agreed former CBA student Matt Somerville, who made the trip to Trenton from Delaware.
Parishioners and friends of Rev. Messrs. Jorge Bedoya and Juan Perez shared their observations. “Jorge has inspired the altar servers and everyone involved with the liturgy,” noted parishioner Patty Boyce. “Juan is super charismatic, and is open to the spirit,” friend Janette Jimenez explained.
For Janice Szelich, the ordination of Carlos Aguirre was an opportunity to finally meet her seminary prayer partner. “I have been praying for him and his vocation for years,” explained the parishioner from St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square. They were assigned through a special vocations prayer group.
“I feel the grace of all of the people who have helped me,” Rev. Mr. Aguirre acknowledged with gratitude. “I feel the grace of God and the Holy Spirit. I cannot believe that I am a deacon. It is so special.”
“I am ordained for the people, to bring the Gospel to all of them. They are waiting for me,” he said.
To read the biographies of the newly ordained deacons, please visit www.trentonmonitor.com.
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