From the Facebook page for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter:
Congratulations to Deacon Patrick Allen from Charleston who was ordained to the transitional diaconate yesterday. His young son decided to share in the experience with him!
Congratulations and welcome, deacon! Ad multos annos!
UPDATE: A few people have been puzzled by the fact that this man is being ordained a transitional deacon. How can he be married and have a child?, they ask.
He is part of the Anglican Ordinariate: a married former Anglican (or, more likely, Episcopalian) priest who converted and has received permission for ordination to the Catholic priesthood. As the ordinariate explains it:
Anglican clergy seeking to be ordained as Catholic priests must first complete an extensive process that includes background checks; an endorsement by the local Ordinary; approval by the head of the Ordinariate and by the Vatican; completion of an approved Ordinariate formation program; and an examination. Celibacy is the norm for the clergy. Permission has been given on a case-by-case basis by the Pope for former Anglican priests who are married to be ordained Catholic priests for the Ordinariate. If widowed, they may not remarry.
And today we celebrate...