John Edward Barrett

Ministering Parish: St. Martha, Point Pleasant

Place of Birth/Age: Queens, N.Y.; 51

Family: wife, Sherri; children, Megan, 23, Bonnie, 21, Kaitlyn, 20; parents, John and Irene Barrett (both deceased); siblings, Eileen, Anne (deceased)

Employment: owner, P.M. Consultants, LLC, Brick

Education: St. Sebastian School, Queens, N.Y. (1975-1983); Archbishop Molloy High School, Briarwood, N.Y. (1983-1987); Queens College, B.A., accounting (1987- 1994); Georgian Court University, Lakewood, M.A., theology (2015-2019)

Certificates, Honors, Technical Training: certified municipal finance officer; certified county finance officer, member of Theological Honor Society

Ministries: lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, baptismal preparation, marriage preparation, finance council

Why the Diaconate? Deacons have played an important role in my life, including the deacons at St. Martha Parish. I wanted to help my pastor, Father David Swantek, serve our parish community. I have been blessed with the love and support I have received along the way through the formation process.

Vesting Priest: Father David Swantek, pastor of St. Martha Parish

Russell David Greiner

Ministering Parish: St. Joseph, Toms River

Place of Birth/Age: Clermont, Fla.; 52

Family: wife, Rita; children, Joshua, 24, Rachel, 18, Kristina, 15; parents, Russell (deceased), Shirley (mother-deceased), Kay (stepmother); siblings, John, Michael, Deane (stepbrother), Adele (stepsister)

Employment: director, Exelon Nuclear LLC, Kennett Square, Pa.

Education: Mary Bryant Elementary School, Kissimmee, Fla. (1974-1977); Osceola High School (1980-1983) and New Smyrna Beach High School, (1984-1985), both also in Florida; Georgia Military College, A.S., nuclear science (1993- 1995); Rensselaer Polytechnic University, B.S., nuclear engineering (1995-1998); Georgian Court University, Lakewood, M.A., theology (2015-2019)

Certificates, Honors, Technical Training: Licensed senior reactor operator; member of several collegiate national honor society groups (Theta Alpha Kappa (theology), Alpha Nu Sigma (nuclear power), Phi Beta Kappa

Ministries: St. Joseph Parish (religious education, 2000-2015; extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, 2000-present; reader, 2000-present; Veritas Men’s Faith Sharing Group, 2010-present); St. Mary Parish, Ballston Spa, N.Y. (extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, 1995-1998); Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, St. Mary’s Ga. (extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, reader 1993-1995)

Why the Diaconate? The calling to service has been a lifelong journey for me. Starting as a youngster in Scouts and then helping my mom volunteer in nursing homes as a teenager, I have always served people. As an adult, I started working with youth groups and teaching religious education. A deacon approached me about the diaconate in the early 2000s, and after attending a retreat and much prayer, I knew that I was receiving the call to pursue the diaconate. Once the program restarted in our Diocese, I was fortunate to be among the first men to be selected.

Vesting Priest: Father Scott Shaffer, pastor of St. Joseph Parish

Mark D. McNulty

Ministering Parish: St. Catharine-St. Margaret, Spring Lake

Place of Birth/Age: Newark; 65

Family: wife, Elizabeth M.; children, Daniel E., 37, Mark C., 37, James P., 32; grandchildren, Luan, Maris, Cassidy; parents, Daniel and Genevieve McNulty; siblings Cynthia, Stan

Employment: Staff member in St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish; retired from Newburgh Moire Co. Inc.

Education: Our Lady of Lourdes School, West Orange (1960-1965); St. Joseph School, West Orange (1965-1969); West Orange High School (1969-1973); Seton Hall University, South Orange (liberal arts, 1973-1977); Georgian Court University, Lakewood, certificate in pastoral ministry (2015-2019)

Certificates, Honors, Technical Training: Diocese of Trenton Certificate Program for Parish Coordinators of Youth Ministry, Diocese of Trenton Virtus Facilitator, Georgian Court University Certificate in Pastoral Ministry

Ministries: Usher, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, lector, sacristan, religious education teacher, youth minister

Why the diaconate? My life has been a rich tapestry, and a strong and vibrant thread moves through it. My faith is that thread, my lifeline. From my altar boy days to my first day as a lay minister, and as a husband, father and friend, I have lived to serve the Lord. I pray that with the wisdom and intercession of the Holy Spirit, that I may offer my service through the sacraments to all who wish to live and practice their faith and to all who have yet to know him.

Vesting Priest: Father Damian McElroy, pastor of St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish

John Senkewicz

Ministering Parish: St. Leo the Great, Lincroft

Place of Birth/Age: Kearny; 64

Family: wife, Deirdre; children, Stephanie, 36, Timothy, 33; grandchildren, Ricky, 5, Wesley, 2; parents, John and Joan (both deceased); siblings, James

Employment: retired as manager of Energy Services at Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Newark

Education: Bayview Elementary and Bayshore Junior High, Middletown (1961-1969); Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft (1969-1973); Stevens Institute of Technology (bachelor in engineering, 1973-1977); M.S., management (1980-1982); Georgian Court University, Lakewood, M.A., theology (2015-2019)

Certificates, Honors, Technical Training: Tau Beta Pi National Honor Society for Engineering Studies (1975), Theta Alpha Kappa, National Honor Society for Religious Studies Theology (2018)

Ministries: social concerns ministry coordinator; bereavement ministry; lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion

Why the diaconate? Six years ago, I felt I was called by God to join the diaconate.

Vesting Priest: Father John Folchetti, pastor, St. Leo the Great Parish

Edward Woram

Ministering Parish: St. Joseph Parish, Toms River

Place of Birth/Age: Brooklyn, N.Y.; 56

Family: wife, Patricia; children: Nancy, 32, Kacey-Ann, 29, Elizabeth, 27, Steven, 26, Stephanie, 24, Matthew, 23; grandchildren: Gabrielle, 8, Nico, 2, Robert, 2; parents, Herbert and Elizabeth Woram (both deceased); siblings, Patricia, Kathleen, Joann, Michael (deceased), Thomas

Employment: Retired from Consolidated Edison of New York (34 years)

Education: Public School 207, Brooklyn, N.Y. (1970-1976); James Madison High School, Brooklyn (1980-1982); Brooklyn College, B.S., business administration (1986-1990); New York Institute of Technology, M.S., energy management (1993-1995); Georgian Court University, Lakewood, M.A., pastoral theology (2015-2019)

Ministries: reader, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, St. Joseph Council, Knights of Columbus (Toms River), St. Vincent de Paul Society

Why the diaconate? Twenty years ago in prayer, I felt God place the call to the diaconate in my heart, but there was a definite mutual understanding, “not yet,” this is not the right time. Since that moment, the call to the diaconate never left my heart. There were no specifics, just “Deacon.”

Vesting Priest: Father Garry Koch, pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel