On Oct. 5, 11 faith-filled men took a step toward ordination as permanent deacons for the Paterson Diocese, N.J., during a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who formally installed them as candidates of the ordination class of 2029. Their Rite of Candidacy occurred that evening at Sacred Heart & Most Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, N.J.
During the Rite of Candidacy, Bishop Sweeney accepted the men into this phase of the process as they pursue becoming permanent deacons, called “candidacy.” Over the next four years, these men will receive theological and pastoral formation and, upon completion, may be called to ordination as permanent deacons. The Rite of Candidacy is the first official recognition of the positive signs of a man’s vocation to the permanent diaconate.
The following men were called to candidacy: Julian Alzate of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J.; Joseph Bono of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J.; Shawn Gallic of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J.;
Cesar Hernandez of Sacred Heart & Holy Rosary Parish in Dover; Thomas Marshall of St. Stephen Magyar Parish in Passaic, N.J.; Reynaldo Robles of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic; Tomasz Sadecki of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in the Hewitt neighborhood of West Milford, N.J.; Jeffry Sandi of Sacred Heart & Holy Rosary Parish in Dover; Troy Steiger of St. Stephen Magyar Parish in Passaic; Edwin Tejeda of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic; and Juan Zapata of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson.
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The deacon’s life is one of service, which is not performed in isolation but in union with other ordained and non-ordained ministers in the Church. The deacon is an ordained minister of the church and receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders from the bishop.
“We are proud of each of these men. They have dedicated one Saturday each month to their formation for the past two years and have recently finished a taxing first year of academic formation, completing four courses of study,” said Deacon William J. Ruane, director of the Permanent Diaconate. “As they begin this second of their four years of academic formation, now recognized by the Church as candidates for Holy Orders, they have all of our prayers and support,” he said.
The deacon’s ministry is three-fold:
•Ministry of Liturgy: Assist at liturgies; administer baptism; witness and bless marriages; officiate at wakes, funerals, burial services; benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; and preside over prayer services.
•Ministry of the Word: Proclaim the Good News of Jesus in the Gospel; periodically preach; and provide catechesis and faith-formation programs.
• Ministry of Service and Charity: Various ministries such as health care, youth, prison, campus, peace and justice, pastoral counseling, the elderly, homeless and other marginalized individuals.
Deacon Ruane also expressed gratitude to Heart & Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary in Dover, “which extended such gracious hospitality to us in hosting the Rite.”
