Bishop John Barres ordained five men to the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Saturday, May 19, at Saint Agnes Cathedral.
A deacon is a member of the clergy and an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. There are three groups, or “orders,” of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters (priests) and deacons. Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served.”
The five men ordained are: José Manuel Bueno, Church of St. Martha, Uniondale; John Douglas Horn, Church of St. James, Seaford; Philip Eugene Savarese, Church of St. Anthony, Oceanside; Matthew Thomas John Surico, Church of St. Thomas More, Hauppauge, and Michael Thomas Whitcomb, Church of St. Patrick, Huntington.
Photos by Ed Casey.
Deacons José Bueno and John Horn prepare to process into the cathedral.
Bishop Robert Brennan smiles during the entrance procession.
Bishop Barres incenses the altar.
Deacon Michael Whitcomb and his wife, Jean, listen at the start of the liturgy.
Father Walter Kedjierski, director of Diaconate Formation, prays.
Bishop Barres blesses the hands of Deacon Bueno.
Bishop Barres blesses the hands of Deacon John Horn.
The deacon candidates lie prostrate as the assembly prays the Litany of Supplication.
Bishop Barres lays his hands upon Deacon Whitcomb's head.
Bishop Barres lays his hands on Deacon Savarese's head.
Bishop Barres embraces Deacon Bueno.
Bishop Andrzej Zglejszewski offers a sign of peace to Deacon Surico.
Deacon Surico prepares to distribute Holy Communion
Deacon Joseph Simeone and fellow deacons process from the cathedral.
Front row, from left, Deacons José Bueno, John Horn, Bishop Barres, Philip Savarese, Matthew Surico and Michael Whitcomb. Back row, from left, Father Walter Kedjierski, Father Edward Sheridan, Bishop Robert Brennan, Bishop Andrzej Zglejszewski and Msgr. Richard Henning.
Following Mass the deacons and their wives posed with Bishop Barres. From left, Deacon José and Roxana Bueno; Deacon John and Nancy Horn, Bishop Barres; Philip and Joanne Savarese: Matthew and Patricia Ann Surico: and Michael and Jean Whitcomb.
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