Four ordained to the permanent diaconate. Bishop Gruss: The grace of God will radically conform you to Christ the Servant

Imitation of Christ Jesus

During his homily, Bishop Gruss said to the new deacons, “In this Rite of Ordination, the grace of God will radically conform you to Christ the Servant. As ordained deacons, you are called to inspire, to promote and to help direct the work and ministry which the whole Church undertakes in imitation of Christ Jesus.

“The Order of Deacons is not about doing things. As permanent deacons, you are called to be the sacramental sign of the Servant Christ – an outward sign that offers to others the grace of Christ’s presence and His love. This must become a part of your identity and is something you must continue to integrate into the way you live each day.”

During the Mass, the men made sacred, lifelong promises of obedience to the bishop and his successors. They then received the sacrament of Holy Orders as Bishop Gruss ordained them through prayer and the imposition of hands.

During the Rite of Ordination, Bishop Gruss entrusted each candidate with the Book of the Gospels, reminding them to “Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”

Without compromise, without accommodation, fear or hesitation

“It is His Gospel that you proclaim and preach, not yours; it is the Word of God, not your own!” Bishop Gruss said. “It must be preached without compromise, without accommodation, fear or hesitation, in a culture which rejects it. But when preached from the Sacred Heart of Jesus with deep love, it can cut through every ambiguity and knows how to touch even the hardest hearts. ...By your faithful service to the Gospel in its integrity, you will help the world to discover that Truth that has a human face – that Truth is a person: Jesus Christ.”

Friday’s ordination was the culmination of years of preparation and prayer.

"It has been a joy to accompany Jake, Dale, Andrew and Al during their five years of formation. They are all good men who sincerely love the Lord and who want to serve in the Church with generosity,” said Dr. Dan Osborn, who coordinates the permanent deacon formation program on behalf of Bishop Gruss. “I have also seen how the support of their wives, families, friends, pastors and their parish communities has been a huge gift throughout this journey, so I'm deeply grateful to them as well."

As the Faithful gathered in the cathedral applauded to express the four men’s election to be ordained, the new deacons, too, gave thanks to God.

'The most beautiful day'

“It was the most beautiful day, a blessed day,” said Deacon Jacob. “I definitely feel humbled that God has called me to this. Through it all, I’ve just been following what the Lord has been telling me to in my prayer to continue on this path.”

“I really feel a great peace that this is what the Lord has called me to do, and I’m ready to serve the Church in this way,” he added.

Permanent deacons have a threefold ministry of word, charity and worship. They can be married, widowed or single men. Some are retired, and some continue to work secular jobs. Since apostolic times, deacons have proclaimed the Gospel and served the poor in charity.