The Deacon's Bench
And it’s a little piece of diaconate history, too:
History was made in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend on Saturday, June 23, with the ordination of 11 Hispanic deacons at St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend.
The newly ordained deacons and their home parishes are Juan Manuel Campos, St. Patrick, Ligonier; Marco Castillo Gómez, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Warsaw; Frederick W. Everett, Corpus Christi, South Bend; Alejandro M. García García, Our Lady of Hungary, South Bend; Ricardo García Ramos, St. Patrick, Ligonier; Giovani Muñoz Reyes, Christian Nieves Figueroa and Blas Olayo, all of St. John the Evangelist, Goshen; José Ruvalcaba Sánchez, St. Adalbert, South Bend; and Victor Sandoval Ceja and Huberto M. Vázquez Osorio, both of St. Patrick, Fort Wayne.
The cathedral was filled with family, friends and supporters, who all awaited the grand procession of diaconate candidates. Wives and family members of the cdidates to be ordained expressed feelings of nervousness before the Mass, but also said they felt happy and blessed. The 18-year-old daughter of Deacon Marco Castillo, Flor de María, said she was feeling “a lot of mixed emotions — really excited, nervous for what’s to come, but mostly happy and excited.”
Flor de Maria was only 13 when her father joined the diaconate formation. “It’s been amazing to see how he’s grown as a person and future deacon,” she said.
Congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Ad multos annos!
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