Nine permanent deacons were ordained for the Diocese of Columbus by Bishop Earl Fernandes on Saturday, Aug. 10, the feast of St. Lawrence, during a Mass at Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral.
The newly ordained include Deacons Michael Berger, David Collinsworth, David Fesenmyer, Louis Griffith, Robert Lancia, Matthew Paulus, Fidel Pitones, Matthew Shaw and Christopher Spiese.
The deacons were assigned to the following parishes: Deacon Berger, Reynoldsburg St. Pius X; Deacon Collinsworth, Westerville St. Paul the Apostle; Deacon Fesenmyer, New Albany Church of the Resurrection; Deacon Griffith, Columbus Our Lady of Peace; Deacon Lancia, Columbus Our Lady of Perpetual Help with service to Columbus St. Stephen the Martyr; Deacon Paulus, Delaware St. Mary; Deacon Pitones, Columbus St. Peter and St. Joan of Arc; Deacon Shaw, Logan St. John the Evangelist; Deacon Spiese, Our Lady, Immaculate Conception parish at Ada Our Lady of Lourdes and Kenton Immaculate Conception churches.
The new deacons are the first permanent deacons to be ordained for the diocese since November 2020. A new class is typically ordained in the diocese once every four years.
The deacons were accompanied by their wives and families to the ordination. Several priests were present to concelebrate the Mass. Deacons who serve in the diocese, consecrated religious and many lay faithful were present as well.
Also in attendance was Bishop Joseph Raja Rao Thelegathoti of the Diocese of Vijayawada, India. He was appointed bishop of Vijayawada in 2015 by Pope Francis. The diocese is in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located along the country’s eastern coast.
The rite of ordination began after the Gospel reading and before the homily. The candidates presented themselves to Bishop Fernandes.
Father William Hahn, the diocesan vicar general and director for priestly life and vocations, testified that the men were ready for service. The bishop then formally elected, or chose, them for the Order of the Diaconate.
In his homily, Bishop Fernandes noted that, as much as the diaconate is an exalted rank, it is one of charity and service. He said the candidates must imitate Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.
“He has clothed you with the garments of salvation; He has covered you with the robe of righteousness or justice,” the bishop told the men. “Still, as disciples and ministers, you are called to go beyond justice and move toward charity.”
Bishop Fernandes reflected on St. Lawrence, an early Church deacon and martyr. He told the men that they must be like the great saint, who preached not only by word but by action.
“The Church today needs men of integrity, men to whom people can entrust their consciences, but in a special way, the Church needs men who are close to the poor, people like St. Lawrence, whom the Church honors today: ‘Blessed is the man who is gracious and lends to those in need,’” he said.
St. Lawrence was martyred by being grilled alive, Bishop Fernandes noted. As deacons, he told the candidates sitting in front of him that they too are called to bear witness to Christ, whether through a bloody martyrdom or a different type of witness.
He also recognized St. Stephen, the first martyr and one of the first seven deacons chosen by the 12 Apostles to assist in the Church’s mission.
“You must be like those once chosen by the Apostles for the ministry of charity: men of good reputation, full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit, men like Stephen, men like Lawrence, ready to lay down their lives in witness to the crucified and risen Lord,” he said.
After the homily, the bishop questioned the elect about their resolve to undertake and faithfully fulfill the ministry to which they were about to be ordained. The candidates were also questioned about their willingness to serve the Church in union with Christ.
They responded, “I do,” to a series of questions.
Kneeling before Bishop Fernandes, they promised respect and obedience to the diocesan bishop and his successors.
The candidates then lied prostrate on the ground before the altar while the Litany of Supplication was chanted. The cantor, joined by the congregation, invoked the intercession of the saints.
After the litany, the men were formally consecrated as deacons through the bishop’s laying-on of hands. Bishop Fernandes, in an ancient apostolic gesture of ordination, laid his hands on each candidate’s head and invoked the Holy Spirit.
The act was completed by a prayer of ordination, which ordains men to service in Holy Orders. The candidates entered from the lay state of the Church into the clerical state through the conferral of the sacrament. The diaconate is the only clerical order open to married men.
The newly ordained deacons were vested with the deacon’s stole, which is a sign of his office of service, and the dalmatic, a liturgical vestment worn by deacons. Each newly ordained deacon then received the Book of Gospels, symbolizing his responsibility to proclaim God’s Word.
During the fraternal kiss of peace, Bishop Fernandes extended a greeting of peace to each new deacon. The gesture is a sign that they are co-workers in the ministry of the Church. The act concludes the rite of ordination.
All deacons in attendance came forward to offer a sign of peace to the newly ordained. The Mass then continued with the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Deacon Paulus, who is married to Mary and has six children, was privileged to meet many deacons in the diocese during the past 25 years, he said, which largely prompted him to pursue the diaconate.
“In these men, I saw service of the Church carried out in many and varied ways. Some cared for the poor, some were gifted preachers, some were skilled medical clinicians, and yet, some were amazing evangelizers. The common denominator was their utter desire to be of service to Christ’s beloved people,” he said. “I felt very drawn to that.”
With a background in education and advanced practice nursing, he said, he “naturally tends” toward teaching and ministering to the suffering. He also has a passion for helping couples strengthen their marriages through faith. He hopes to serve the Church in such ways.
Deacon Paulus originally pursued the diaconate in 2015. The process had been a long time coming. He said it taught him trust and obedience.
“I always approached my calling to the diaconate as something that was a process and was something that God was asking me to consider, not something I was entitled to or something guaranteed,” he said. “I had to first learn to trust.”
Deacon Berger, who is married to Megan and has three children, also viewed the diaconate as a gift.
“I am clearly aware that the call to Holy Orders is not some sort of crown placed upon the righteous, but rather a lifeline to help me in my spiritual weakness along the path to holiness,” he said. “It is a gift from Jesus the Servant to me.”
Deacon Berger said he hopes the Holy Spirit will continue to transform him into a “self-gift” for others. A calling from the Lord led him to diaconal ministry.
“I did not pursue the diaconate, but rather, God called me to it,” he said. “After much prayer, discernment and discussion with my wife, I felt that if God was truly calling me to this vocation, there is no way I could say no to this incredible invitation.”
Throughout the formation process, he said, consistent spiritual direction, praying the Liturgy of the Hours twice daily – at least once with his wife – reading and dialoguing with God through Sacred Scripture each morning and offering daily prayers for a growing number of people who request his intercession have helped “to keep my focus away from me and toward others.”
Deacon Shaw, who is married to Christine and has five children, said he looks forward to working with his parish priest on evangelization efforts and leading others closer to Christ.
Since first pursuing the diaconate, studying God’s Word, reading the lives of the saints, praying, and socializing with fellow deacon candidates and clergy across the diocese have impacted him.
“All of these deliberate actions that have resulted from the formation process have contributed to my faith,” he said. “I think it’s safe to say that these have ‘rubbed off’ a bit to my wife and kids, too. Answering the call has been yet another blessing.”