The wake for retired Deacon Carl M. Varga will begin with vespers at 3 p.m. Feb. 18 in Divine Word Church, 8100 Eagle Road, Kirtland. Bishop Martin Amos, retired bishop of Davenport, Iowa will preside with Father Jim Caddy as homilist. The wake will continue until 7 p.m.
Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries will celebrate the funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at Divine Word Church, with Father Dave Wooster, Divine Word pastor, as homilist.
Deacon Varga, 84, died on Feb.12.
Survivors include his children and grandchildren. His wife Elizabeth (Thamer) predeceased him.
He was ordained to the permanent diaconate for service to the Diocese of Cleveland by Bishop James Hickey on May 31, 1980 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
After ordination, Deacon Varga was assigned to serve at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Mentor. On June 1, 1992, he was assigned to serve Divine Word Parish. During this assignment, he served as emcee for Bishop Anthony Pilla, effective Sept. 13, 1988. He also served as administrator pro tem of Divine Word Parish Sept. 7 to Dec. 3, 1993. Deacon Varga was assigned to serve as parish life coordinator of St. Philip Neri Parish in Cleveland on July 1, 2000. He was assigned to be parish life coordinator of Divine Word Parish on Feb. 19, 2004.
Deacon Varga retired on Feb. 15, 2019. He focused his diaconal ministry on service and attention to the poor and most in need. He worked to bring together those in the city with those in the suburb, encouraging them to share their gifts together.
Interment will be at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon.