CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis installed 15 candidates to the permanent diaconate as lectors during a July 14 Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. At the same liturgy, approximately 50 permanent deacons from around the Diocese of Charlotte reaffirmed their promise to serve the Church with the words, “I do, with the help of God.”
As lectors, the deacon candidates are now commissioned to proclaim the Word of God during Mass. This is the second of three steps on their path to eventual ordination as permanent deacons, anticipated for 2018.
During his homily, Bishop Jugis expressed gratitude to God for the Charlotte diocese’s deacons and future deacons.
“The Lord gives us the joy this day of witnessing our brother deacons affirm the promises of their ordination, and our deacon candidates being instituted into the ministry of lector. And it is a joy to see all of you offering yourselves for the ministry of the Church.”
“You men, who are about to be instituted in the ministry of lector, will now have a special office within the Church in the service of Jesus,” he told the deacon candidates.
Quoting the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Bishop Jugis told them, “’When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God Himself speaks to His people.’” You, therefore, are placing yourselves and your voices at the service of God to proclaim His Word, His message of salvation to His people.”
The 15 candidates are: Paul C. Bruck, Ralph B. D’Agostino Jr., David M. Faunce, Steffen M. Fohn, Frank L. Moyer, Timothy J. Mueller, Matthew A. Newsome, Quang T. Nguyen, David M. Ramsey III, Martin M. Sheehan, Jr., Francis E. Skinner, Paul B. Sparrow, Peter B. Tonon, Donald J. Waugh Jr. and Jack A. Yarbrough.
Deacon Ron Steinkamp, director of the diocesan Office of Permanent Diaconate, praised the candidates’ commitment to the program and to serve the Church.
“We are very pleased with the engagement of these candidates in the formation process. This is the ninth class for the Diocese of Charlotte, and the most rigorous. These men, with the support of their wives, have willingly embraced the challenge. They are an impressive group and, with the help of God, will one day be worthy servants of the Lord as ordained permanent deacons.”
In what is an annual tradition, deacons had the opportunity to affirm their ordination promises with a resounding “I do” following questions from Bishop Jugis like, “Do you resolve to conform your way of life always to the example of Christ, of whose Body and Blood you are ministers at the altar?”
Before giving the final blessing, Bishop Jugis invoked a special blessing from God upon the deacons, and concluded with an integral prayer from an ordination ceremony: “May God, who has begun the good work in you, bring it to fulfillment.”
— Rico De Silva, Hispanic Communications Reporter