Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, May 25, 2000
tike Diocese
Deacons
The Southern Cross, Page 7
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Bishop J. Kevin Boland kisses the altar prior to the reading of the
Gospel at Saturday's ordination.
(Continued from page 1)
Weston, Massachusetts, and Deacons
Kasela and Szuster, natives of Poland,
have just finished their third year of
theology at Saint Charles Borromeo
Seminary, Philadelphia. Fathers
Christopher J. Schreck and Michael
McNally, both faculty members at Saint
Charles Seminary, attended as represen
tatives of the faculty and administra
tion.
The music was provided by Saint
Joseph’s Choir, directed by Nelda
Chapman, augmented by the Alleluia
Community School Chorus from
Augusta, where Deacon Hart comes
from.
During the ordination rite, the candi
dates were presented to the bishop by
Father Brett A. Brannen. The bishop’s
election of the candidates was con
firmed by the people’s applause.
In his homily, Bishop Boland outlined the role of
the deacon in serving God’s people, especially in
the proclamation of God’s Word: “It is the power
of God’s Word that makes sense of who we are and
binds us together as God’s people.” The bishop
pointed out that the rite of ordination includes a
presentation of the Book of the Gospels to the
newly ordained deacons, signifying that they are
“ministers of God’s Word” in a special, designated
way. “From this day forward, you are ordained to
release from your holy lips, God’s spoken word
when it is convenient and inconvenient, in season
and out of season, in your days of strength and
your days of weakness,” Bishop Boland said to the
candidates.
The bishop then reflected on the necessity of liv
ing the Word in order to preach it: “There should
be a oneness and integration
between the messenger and the mes
sage.” He challenged the candidates
to engage in a “lifetime love affair”
with God’s Word.
The candidates then made the
commitment to celibacy and
promised obedience and respect to
the bishop and his successors.
The three candidates lay prostrate
on the floor as the Litany of the
Saints was sung, invoking the inter
cession of the Church’s greatest
intercessors on their behalf. Then
Bishop Boland laid hands on them,
in a gesture that goes back to the
Apostles, and said the solemn prayer
of consecration over them, constitut
ing them as deacons in the Church.
Deacon Hart was vested in stole
and dalmatic by Father Timothy R
McKeown, parochial vicar of Saint
Joseph Parish. Deacon Kasela was vested by Father
John J. Cuddy, pastor of Saint Joseph and Deacon
Szuster by Father Lawrence A. Lucree, pastor of
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Columbus.
During the celebration of the Eucharist, the new
deacons distributed the cup to the communicants.
A reception followed in Saint Joseph’s Hall.
Photos by Nick Oza.
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Seminarians Richard Hart, Adam Kasela and Jacek Szuster, left to
right, pose for a photo with Father Brett Brannen, diocesan
Director of Vocations, prior to their ordination to the diaconate.
The three candidates for transitional deacon lie prostrate as the
Litany of the Saints is sung in the sanctuary of Saint Joseph
Church in Macon.
Bishop J. Kevin Boland and fellow seminarians clap for Daniel Cantor Laura Bialon leads the singing during the service.
Firmin as he is formally admitted as a candidate for the diaconate
prior to his departure for studies in Rome.