Ordination update: 6 new deacons for Boston

From The Boston Pilot:

For Chris Ohlandt, seeing his friend John Czajkowski ordained a permanent deacon at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, Oct. 15, required taking a flight from Maryland. But, he said, it was a trip worth making.

“You don’t get to see this that often. This is a first for me — I’m 51 years old and I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s incredible,” said Ohlandt, speaking to The Pilot following the Mass.

He said he had just texted his wife, who had remained in Maryland to watch their two children, to tell her how wonderful the ordination was.

“To know the journey that he ( Deacon Czajkowski) has gone through — he started in Maryland and then finished here — that’s just amazing. To see him now as a deacon is just… wow,” said Ohlandt.

Deacon Czajkowski, along with Deacons Paul Breadmore, Joseph Cooley, Charles Hanafin, John Kobrenski, and John Koza, were all ordained to the order of permanent deacon during the Mass, which was celebrated by Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley.

The deacon, from the Greek word “diakonos,” meaning servant or minister, is the first of three ranks of ordained ministry in the Church. Among the many functions they perform in parishes, deacons may preside at baptisms, weddings, and rites of Christian burial, as well as aid the priest at Mass, proclaim the Gospel, and deliver homilies. In addition to a parish assignment, each of the new deacons will also assist in one of the ministries of the archdiocese.

In his homily, the cardinal addressed the deacons, and spoke to them about the important role they will have in the liturgical process. Yet, he reminded them to be humble.

“In the life of the priest, (and) of deacon, there can be no dichotomy between our cultic or liturgical role and the humble services we must give, as in washing the feet of our brothers and sisters. The towel should be as emblematic as the stole, for our deacons and priests, whose humble service must reflect the humble and loving service of the Good Shepherd,” he said.

Read on and see additional pictures. And you can read biographies of the new deacons here. 

Congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Ad multos annos!

Photo: Boston Pilot / Gregory L. Tracy