Nine men – eight students at Saint Mary Seminary and one candidate for the permanent diaconate – will be instituted in the ministry of acolyte during a Mass on Feb. 20 in Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd Chapel at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe. Relatives, pastors and friends of those to be instituted will participate in the liturgy by invitation only.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost will celebrate the Mass, with Bishop Edward Malesic in attendance.
Seven of the seminarians will be instituted for service to the Diocese of Cleveland. The eighth will be instituted for the Diocese of Youngstown.
Candidates for institution from the Cleveland Diocese are:
- Thomas Richard Byrne, St. Christopher Parish, Rocky River
- Gregory John Hovan, St. Rita Parish, Solon
- Daniel Thomas Liberatore, St. Gabriel Parish, Concord
- Nathan Michael Menkhaus, St. Barnabas Parish, Northfield
- John Kramer Scantling, St. Sebastian Parish, Akron
- Connor James Trout, St. Basil the Great Parish, Brecksville
- Christoper Anthony Villarreal, St. Sebastian Parish, Akron
Thomas William Spridon Martzaklis, St, Paul Parish, North Canton, will be instituted for the Diocese of Youngstown.
The diaconal candidate being instituted as an acolyte is Michael Richard Niese of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Wadsworth.
Instituted acolytes have the responsibility of assisting priests and deacons in carrying out their liturgical ministry. As special ministers of the Eucharist, instituted acolytes may also give holy Communion to the faithful at the liturgy and to the sick and expose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration. Because the instituted acolyte’s ministry places him in the service of the altar, he has a special relationship to the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Church’s life.