Nine new deacons ready to serve

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

Nine men ordained permanent deacons Saturday drew supporters from near and far to St. Paul Cathedral for a Mass in English and Spanish.
Among them was Alex Matias Garcia, the first Brazilian ordained a permanent deacon for the diocese, said Deacon Peter Ryan, assistant director of formation for the Office of the Diaconate. And, he said, he thought Samuel Andoh Morrison, 34, was the youngest ever ordained here.
Ordained with them were Martin W. Beck Jr., Thomas Robert Creamer, Paul Gialanella, Juan Jesus Guzman, Gilberto A. Javier-Almonte, Daniel Francis Lavoie and Thomas E. Tierney.
Bishop McManus preached about the roles of deacons, which include serving others, proclaiming the Gospel, distributing the Eucharist and instructing people.

GHANAIAN VISITOR

Father Jacob Tardie Adomako, a priest of the Diocese of Konongo-Mampong, said he came from Ghana specifically for the ordination Deacon Morrison, a Ghanaian.
“We have been together … for the past 27 years,” the priest said. “I started walking with seven men and, by the grace of God, five of them are priests now, he is a deacon and one is a pharmacist. Isn’t this wonderful?” He said Deacon Morrison and most of the others were once his altar servers.
He said he plans to arrange for the new deacon to return to Ghana on vacation. Then people there can celebrate with him.
“They saw him as an altar server; now they’ll see him as a deacon,” he said.
Ambrose and Gladys Amoakoh, Mrs. Morrison’s uncle and aunt, came from Newark, New Jersey, for his ordination, which Mr. Amoakoh called “wonderful.”
“Samuel seems to be the youngest of the deacons,” Mrs. Amoakoh said. “Saying yes to the call at a younger age …
“A sense of commitment and dedication,” finished her husband.
“And strong faith in the Lord,” she added, “especially at this time with the sex scandal and people don’t want to associate themselves with the Church.”
“It’s a beautiful ceremony,” said Regina Boateng, of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Worcester. “Here in the United States this was my first ordination.” She said she’s attended ordinations in her native Ghana. Asked how this one differed, she said, “Definitely shorter,” and added, “I like that.”
 
BLESSINGS AND TEARS

“It’s a blessing,” Bruna Matias said after the ordination of her father, Deacon Garcia. “This whole week has been crazy.” She said her graduation from Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester was that week, and the previous week everyone started to get sick, but by the ordination they were better.
“I’m holding the tears ’til I get home,” she said.
Misa Guzman, Deacon Guzman’s wife, didn’t wait that long.
“Today is so emotional – I cried,” she said after the Mass. “They’ve been working so hard.”
Her husband, retired after 20 years in the military, is now working on a “higher level,” she said.
Juan J. Guzman Jr. said his father’s ordination was the culmination of “years of hard work and dedication to the Church,” a path he likely transitioned into because of his volunteer service in the Church and the Scouts.
Mr. Guzman’s mother-in-law, Marie Norgaisse, a Haitian living in Shirley, said this was her first time at a Catholic ordination. She said it was “so beautiful,” and added, “I don’t have the words” to describe it.

MINISTRY BEGINS

“It was a beautiful day,” Deacon Lavoie said. He said it was a long journey, but added, “Now the journey’s just begun.”
“I’m living proof that God has a sense of humor, because I’m an engineer by training,” said Deacon Beck, who works at Hollingsworth & Vose Corp. in Groton, and serves at Annunciation Parish in Gardner. “Now here I am in God’s hands.”
Deacon Tierney, vice president of Key Bank, said he’d be happy to leave behind the books from the time-consuming diaconate classes and move forward into ministry.
He said that in the past he’d helped with youth ministry, religious education for youth and faith formation for adults, been a eucharistic minister and run a prayer group.
“It’s been in the back of my mind for 10 years,” he said of being a deacon. “It felt like a recurring calling. I’ve always felt that I could help the priests better if I was ordained.”


–  The ordination Mass can be viewed on the website worcesterdiocese.org. DVDs can be ordered from TV Ministry, 49 Elm St., Worcester MA 01609, by email at tvmass@charter.net or by calling 508-791-2039.

Click here for Ordination photo album.