The Deacon's Bench
From The Angelus, the online edition of The Tidings in Los Angeles, a glimpse into the formation process for the diaconate:
Five years ago, 13 men embarked on a journey together to become deacons, meeting each other for the first time on a silent retreat. On June 11, that journey culminated in these men and their spouses being greeted by clamorous cheers emanating from the men, women and children who flocked to downtown Los Angeles’ Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels for this year’s Ordination to the Diaconate.
In a Mass celebrated by Archbishop José H. Gomez, the archdiocese welcomed its newest deacons: the St. Rose of Lima Permanent Diaconate Class, a group that, according to its members, is as tight-knit as they come.
“Because they had been so welcoming and so encouraging, we felt like brothers going in, and had a great sense of camaraderie,” echoes Brian Conroy of St. Mel in Woodland Hills, who himself has played a pivotal role in the coordination of faith formation programs throughout his 30-plus years as an RCIA director. “We were together about 16-20 hours a month all year long; we were like family. It was an awesome feeling [being ordained together].”
…“When you’re studying for the diaconate … you’re studying to administer to people as a deacon,” explains Conroy. “It’s not merely a matter of learning stuff; it’s a matter of learning a way of being. It’s one thing to study Scripture at a university. But if you’re studying the Scriptures with the mindset of ‘what would you say if you had to preach on Sunday’ that’s a whole different dimension. It’s not about knowing stuff; it’s about being someone.”
And there is the invaluable contribution of the deacon’s wife:
Just prior to the conclusion of the ordination Mass, the 12 spouses of the newly-ordained deacons (class member Louis Roche of St. Charles Borromeo in North Hollywood is single, and, as such, made a commitment to celibacy) were honored by the congregation for joining and supporting their husbands throughout their pursuit of the diaconate. And in a very emotional sequence just after the conclusion of the Mass, the St. Rose of Lima class members, having just earned the capacity to bless others as deacons through the “laying on of hands” preparatory rite during the Mass, lined up in the massive courtyard adjacent to the cathedral and offered their first blessings to their wives.
“That moment had so much packed into it,” recalls Conroy of blessing Esperanza. “She beamed at me. It was amazing; it’s hard to put these things into words.”
“The emotions of giving my wife her first blessing was very powerful,” adds Salas of blessing Lupe. “I was in total awe of being there on ordination day after all that she and I had been through…”
And you can watch Archbishop Gomez’s homily from the ordination Mass here.
Photo: Victor Aleman / The Angelus
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