Six men will be ordained to the permanent diaconate on Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix. These men play a vital role in the Church by serving the bishop, parish priests and the people of God.
In preparation for ordination and their lifelong call of service, candidates have completed a rigorous formation program, including five years of study along with the two-year Kino Catechetical Institute program as part of their discernment.
“[A deacon] is a cleric configured by the grace of ordination to Christ the Servant,” said Dcn. Mark Veazie, associate director of Education and Formation for the diocesan Office of the Diaconate. “The grace and the love he receives through his ordination overflow to touch others through an interconnected ministry of word, liturgy and charity. He is also a bridge between the bishop with his [priests] and the people of God, over which love and communication flow in both directions.
“I’m very excited to see these six men receive ordination and serve the people of this diocese, along with their wives,” he continued. “Each of them have walked down different paths, experienced different moments of woundedness and healing, possess different spiritual and natural gifts and have different personalities. The Lord will use all of that.”
Get to know the new deacons
Charles (Chuck) Garcia, a parishioner of St. Mary Parish in Chandler, Ariz., was called gradually to this vocation. He cites moments of grace contributing to his discernment, like “the childhood invitation I was too afraid to accept to serve at the altar, the example of faithful men in the Knights of Columbus, my desire to bring Holy Communion to the sick and the encouragement of my wife, Cindy, who has supported every step of this journey.” After ordination, he looks forward most to serving families, the sick and those who are searching for peace and purpose. “Having found that peace in Christ and His Church, I hope to help others encounter the same joy, hope and closeness to God that have transformed my life.”
Peter Parian III from Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tempe, Ariz., first heard the call to the diaconate after high school, to which he told God, “Lord, there are probably other ways to serve You.” Rather than entering the diocesan seminary in his hometown in the Philippines, he pursued a bachelor’s degree at a Jesuit university and later married. In 2008, the family moved to the United States where they became involved in parish life and a covenant community. Parian gradually recognized God’s call to the diaconate and began to understand why He had brought them to the United States. “Since then, I have entrusted my life to Him, asking Him to lead me where He wills.” Parian looks forward to assisting with sacraments, especially ministering infant baptism, and the opportunities to confer the blessings of the Church.
Matthew Scheller’s family has been parishioners of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Avondale, Ariz., since 1970, when it was still a small mission community. Some of his earliest memories are of serving at the altar in the original adobe church, where his love for the Eucharist and the Church began. His call to the diaconate developed gradually through years of parish ministry, prayer, discernment and especially the love and support of his wife, Cynthia, and their four children. Throughout their marriage, “serving the Church has been something we have shared, and formation has deepened my understanding that a deacon is called not simply to serve, but to be a servant configured to Christ.” After ordination, he most looks forward to proclaiming the Gospel, serving at the altar and accompanying others in their faith journeys, particularly during life’s most meaningful and challenging moments. “My prayer is to faithfully live my diaconal motto, Servus Christi — Servant of Christ.”
Catarino Chavez belongs to Queen of Peace Parish in Mesa, Ariz., where he has had the opportunity to grow spiritually, strengthen his relationship with God and discover the call to the diaconate. Throughout the five years of formation he has learned to listen more attentively to God’s voice and to recognize that the call is an invitation to serve with humility and love. After his ordination, he hopes to serve God and His Church with a humble, generous and willing heart. “I desire to accompany families, visit the sick, support people in need, proclaim God’s Word and help more people find hope and strength in Christ. I also desire to be a good husband, a witness to the Gospel in my home and a faithful servant in my parish community. My greatest desire is that through my service, people can experience the love and mercy of God.”
Harold Morazan of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Queen Creek, Ariz., had a powerful experience of the Holy Spirit’s presence when he received his first communion as a child in Nicaragua. That moment led to a strong call to serve at the altar and to be a husband and father at the same time. Coming from Nicaragua, where there were no married deacons, the call felt confusing. After moving to the United States, he began serving in the Church and others encouraged him to be a deacon, helping him realize how his childhood calling could be fulfilled. Feelings of unworthiness delayed his entry into formation for eight years. A priest encouraged him, “Do you think anyone is worthy? Nobody is worthy. Jesus makes us worthy.” At that moment, he decided to enter formation. Morazan hopes to serve as a channel through which Jesus can draw people to Himself.
Jesus Chavez Dominguez and his family have been part of the community at Santa Teresita Catholic Church in El Mirage, Ariz., since 1986. While serving as a sacristan and Eucharistic minister, he began to feel a calling to draw closer to the altar. This led him to study at Kino Catechetical Institute and begin formation, where the call to serve at the altar continued to intensify. He hopes to “continue serving the people of God and preaching His Word through example and helping to guide people toward holiness.”
To learn more about the call to the permanent diaconate visit dphx.org/diaconate
