Eight men were ordained permanent deacons by the Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, on Saturday in St. Michael’s Cathedral. Most of them are married, reflecting a nationwide trend in the Church for active deacons, Ordained to assist the diocese’s 147 priests, who serve more than 217,000 Catholics in Western Massachusetts, the number of active deacons in the diocese is now around 83 out of a total of 93. “In the early church, the deacons worked with the apostles to ensure the poor and the marginalized were given the care of the church,” said Rozanski during his homily, according to iobserve.org. “Today that mission is essentially the same to assist the bishop and priests in reaching out to those truly in need.”
Read on for additional details, and biographies of the men ordained.
Congratulations! Ad multos annos!
And today we celebrate...