Charlotte ordains its largest group of Hispanic deacons

Colombian-born Guillermo Anzola responds when his name is called during the election of candidates portion of the diaconate ordination Mass at St. Mark Church on May 31. (Rico De Silva | Catholic News Herald)

I’ve just arrived in sunny (and very warm) Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2014 Catholic Media Conference and Catholic Press Association Awards. So it’s fitting that the first text message I received on my phone was about Charlotte’s new deacons.

From The Catholic News Herald: 

Bishop Peter J. Jugis presided over a historic ordination May 31 for the permanent diaconate program in the Diocese of Charlotte. In a joyful and beautiful liturgical ceremony, Bishop Jugis ordained 16 new deacons, five of whom hail from Latin America – the largest class of incoming Latino deacons in the diocese’s 42-year history.

“We’re thrilled to have five excellent men with Spanish language skills in this class,” said Deacon Ron Steinkamp, director of the permanent diaconate. “Prior to their ordination, we had only eight bilingual permanent deacons in the whole diocese. This is a big deal.”

The five new Latino deacons are: Deacon Guillermo Anzola from Colombia; Deacon Sigfrido A. Della Valle from El Salvador; Deacon Marcos Mejías, born in Milwaukee, Wis., of Puerto Rican parents; Deacon Miguel Sebastían from Guatemala; and Deacon Rubén Tamayo from Havana, Cuba.

The wives, sons and daughters of the newly ordained men, as well as other family members and friends, packed St. Mark Church in Huntersville almost to capacity. They came to celebrate and to show their support and gratitude for these men, whose desire and commitment to serve the Lord and His Church helped them to persevere through the lengthy and meticulous formation process.

With close to an estimated 190,000 Latino Catholics in western North Carolina, Hispanics now account for more than half of the Catholic population in the diocese. These new Latino deacons will help minister to the pastoral needs of this large number of first-generation Latin-Americans in the diocese with limited or no-English proficiency. They will minister to those eager to have the Word of God proclaimed to them in their native Spanish.

“The most important role for me concerning Hispanic ministry is to unite myself with all those who are currently working hard in the Lord’s vineyard – because it’s only through giving that we receive and only through sharing that we grow,” said Deacon Della Valle.

Read more. Wonderful news, indeed!