Bishop Edward Malesic will ordain five Saint Mary Seminary students as transitional deacons during a liturgy on April 2 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. The Mass will be livestreamed on the diocesan website.
Four of the seminarians are from the Diocese of Cleveland. The fifth is from the Archdiocese of Daegu, South Korea, which has had a longtime arrangement with the Cleveland Diocese for priestly formation.
Three other men in the class are from the Diocese of Youngstown, which also sends some of its seminarians to Borromeo and Saint Mary seminaries for formation.
Those from the Diocese of Cleveland who were called for ordination to the order of deacon are:
- David Theodore Chojnacki of St. Mary Parish in Hudson, and son of Peter and Jean Chojnacki of Hudson.
- Dominic Francis Gideon of Communion of Saints Parish in Cleveland Heights, and son of Victor and Antoinette Gideon of Cleveland Heights.
- Jeffrey Stephen Liptak of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma, and son of John and Mary Liptak of Parma Heights.
- Christopher Daniel Stein of Immaculate Conception Parish in Madison, and son of Daniel and Kimberly Stein of Ashtabula.
Called to the order of deacon by Daegu, South Korea Archbishop Thaddeus Cho Hwan-kil is Duckhyun (Fabian) Han of St. Andrew Kim Parish in Cleveland, and son of Seungkook Han and Hyun Suk Kim of South Korea.
Youngstown Bishop David Bonnar called these men from his diocese to the order of deacon for service to the Diocese of Youngstown:
- Brook Martin Benedict of St. Angela Merici Parish in Youngstown, and son of Gary and Linda Benedict of Youngstown.
- John Thomas Rovnak of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Youngstown, and son of Thomas and Janice Rovnak of Youngstown.
- Frederick Anthony Schlueter of St. Paul Parish in Salem, and son of Frederick and Lori Schlueter of Salem.
Bishop Malesic will be the ordaining bishop for the four Cleveland and one South Korean seminarians. Bishop Bonnar will ordain the Youngstown seminarians on June 4 in St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown.
According to the rite of ordination of deacons, “Strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit, the deacons will help the bishop and his priests in the ministry of the word, of the altar and of charity, showing themselves to be servants to all.” Ordained deacons may administer baptism, serve at the altar at Mass and distribute the Eucharist; bring the Eucharist as viaticum to the dying; read the sacred Scriptures to the faithful and on occasion, to preach; to preside at the Church’s public prayer; to administer sacramentals; to assist at and bless marriages and to officiate at funeral and burial rites.
The newly ordained deacons will minister while continuing their studies and formation for priestly ministry.