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Cardinal Blase Cupich to Ordain 23 Permanent and Transitional Deacons on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Holy Name Cathedral

The Archdiocese of Chicago has the largest Catholic diaconate in the world with 548 active deacons

Chicago, IL (May 6, 2019) – Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, will ordain 23 permanent and transitional deacons at 10 a.m., on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 North State Street, Chicago. The newly ordained deacons will be assigned to parishes in: Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Des Plaines, Gurnee, Libertyville, Midlothian, Mundelein, Palos Hills, Park Ridge, Round Lake, Lake Villa, Oak Forest, Tinley Park, and Wauconda.

“I welcome and thank each one of our newly ordained deacons for answering the call to serve our Church and our communities,” said Cupich. “Diaconal ministry is central to our Church’s teachings of reaching out to the poor and marginalized, ensuring that no one is excluded or left behind. In this Easter season, the Holy Spirit fills us with renewal and guides our new deacons to share boldly the Good News of Christ.”

In the Catholic Church, deacons preparing for the priesthood are known as transitional deacons. They are seminarians ordained after their third year of theology studies at Mundelein Seminary, and will return for one more year of studies as deacons before ordination to the priesthood in 2020. Those not planning to be ordained priests are called permanent deacons. Married men may be ordained permanent deacons, and single men may be ordained as permanent deacons with a commitment to celibacy.

Diaconate formation for permanent deacons requires completion of a comprehensive four-year program through the Institute for Diaconal Studies, located at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein. The programs include human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral dimensions of formation and a year-long parish pastoral ministry internship. The program is mandated by both the Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The newly ordained deacons will assist the bishop and his priests in ministries of the Word, Liturgy and Charity. This includes proclaiming the Gospel, leading intercessions, preaching, preparing the altar, celebrating baptisms, leading the faithful in prayer, distributing holy communion, witnessing marriages and conducting wake and funeral services. Deacons also identify the needs of poor and underserved, and shepherd the Church's resources to meet those needs.

Please see below for the list of this year’s candidates for the diaconate

Permanent deacons, their wives, and home parishes

  • Deacon Dominic Andriacchi – Sacred Heart, 8245 W. 111th St., Palos Hills
  • Deacon Andrew and Kate Baker – Saint Paul the Apostle, 6401 Gages Lake Rd., Gurnee
  • Deacon Michael and Melissa Bednarz – Immaculate Conception, 7211 W. Talcott Ave., Chicago
  • Deacon Daniel and JoAnne Coughlin – St. Joseph, 121 E. Maple Ave., Libertyville
  • Deacon Rajan and Sheela Fernando – St. Joseph, 114 Lincoln Ave., Round Lake
  • Deacon Christopher and Joanna Fisher – Transfiguration, 316 W. Mill St., Wauconda
  • Deacon William and Janice Flamm – St. Barnabas, 10134 S. Longwood Dr., Chicago
  • Deacon Daniel and Laura Georgen – Saint Mary, 10 N. Buffalo Grove Rd., Buffalo Grove
  • Deacon Eugene Kummerer, Jr. – Saint Pascal, 6199 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
  • Deacon Irek and Cindy Mocarski – St. Francis Borgia, 8033 W. Addison St., Chicago
  • Deacon Robert and Patricia Powers – St. Christopher, 4130 147th St., Midlothian
  • Deacon Roderick and Rita Reyes – St. Paul of the Apostle, 6401 Gages Lake Rd., Gurnee
  • Deacon Charles and Veronica Shallcross – St. Pascal, 6199 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
  • Deacon Jerry and Mary Souta – St. George, 6707 175th St., Tinley Park
  • Deacon Guillermo and Silvia Tejeda – St. Bede the Venerable, 8200 S. Kostner Ave., Chicago
  • Deacon Mark and Joan Weiss – Prince of Peace, 135 S. Milwaukee Ave., Lake Villa

Transitional Deacons and their summer parish assignments

  • Deacon Larry Basbas – Prince of Peace, 135 S. Milwaukee Ave., Lake Villa
  • Deacon Arthur Bautista – St. Josaphat, 2306 N. Southport Ave., Chicago
  • Deacon Ismael Garcia – Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1170 N. River Rd., Des Plaines
  • Deacon Patrick Gorman – Mary Seat of Wisdom, 920 Granville Ave., Park Ridge
  • Deacon Vinny Jimenez – Santa Maria del Populo, 116 N. Lake St., Mundelein
  • Deacon Hank Lyon – St. Juliana, 7201 N. Oketo Ave., Chicago
  • Deacon Martin Marulanda – St. Damian, 5250 155th St., Oak Forest

The Archdiocese of Chicago has the largest Catholic diaconate in the world with 548 active deacons involved in 260 parishes and agencies. Since 1972, the Archdiocese of Chicago has ordained 1,400 men as permanent deacons. Active, retired and inactive deacons total 791, which includes 74 deacons active in dioceses around the country – from Florida to Arizona – who remain incardinated in Chicago.