This email arrived last night with some exciting news:
“Deacons are alive, well and proliferating in the Lafayette diocese!”
The diocese in Louisiana had to conduct two separate ordinations to accommodate everyone.
Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel of the Diocese of Lafayette will ordain the latest class of deacon candidates to the permanent diaconate in two separate ceremonies in the spring. The ceremonies are scheduled for May 21 and June 4 and will take place at 10 a.m. on their respective dates at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Lafayette. The reason for the two ceremonies is to better accommodate the large anticipated number of family members and friends who wish to bear witness to their loved ones being ordained to the permanent diaconate. A total of 23 men are scheduled to be ordained; their names are: May 21: Scotty Baudoin, José Vicente Blanco, Wynard Boutté, Francis Cao, Michael Crain, Guy Kilchrist, Brian Kirk, Dennis Landry, Barry LeBlanc, Joshua LeBlanc, Barney Lejeune, Durk Viator. June 4: Marty Cannon, Ron Chauvin, Joseph Liuzza, José Luna-Becerra, Shawn Melancon, Steve Rogers, Sammy Russo, John Bennett Soileau, Cliff Tanner, Coby Thomas, Doug Wimberly.
Congratulations and welcome, brothers! Ad multos annos! (Anyone have any pictures to share??)
UPDATE: We have pictures! Thanks to reader Joshua LeBlanc, here are the two sets of newly ordained deacons.
And today we celebrate...