Ordination update: 18 new deacons for Owensboro, Kentucky

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:56 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Ordination update: 18 new deacons for Owensboro, Kentucky 2015-03-13T16:56:06-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Details:

Matthew Keyser has been youth minister at Holy Spirit Catholic Church for several years, but he felt called to do more.

On Saturday, Keyser was one of 18 men ordained as deacons in the Owensboro Diocese, which covers the Western Kentucky region. The ordination took place at Holy Spirit, which was packed with about 1,000 people for the ceremony.

“There’s a lot of excitement,” Keyser said. “I kind of feel like it’s graduation day.”

In the Catholic tradition, deacons are considered clergy and can perform many of the same tasks as priests, including preaching, baptizing and performing weddings and funerals, according to the Rev. Jerry Riney of Holy Spirit.

“There are a lot of things (Keyser will) be able to do and step up to the plate,” Riney said. However, there are some tasks deacons can’t perform, such as preside over communion or hear confessions.

Deacons act as an aide to the priest and help bridge the gap between the sacred and secular worlds, Keyser said. The role of deacons in the Catholic Church was established in biblical times, and there are currently tens of thousands of Catholic deacons throughout the world.

“It can be a little intimidating, but it also gives you many, many good examples,” Keyser said.

Though there is a long traditions of deacons in the Catholic Church, the 18 deacons ordained Saturday made up the first class of deacons trained in the Owensboro Diocese, Riney said. A few deacons have served in churches in the diocese before, but they were transplants from other dioceses.

The new deacons studied for five years leading up to their ordination, learning about a wide variety of topics, including scripture, theology and the history and beliefs of the church, Keyser said.

In his sermon at Saturday’s rite of ordination, Bishop William Medley told the deacon candidates they are “called to be transformers of the church.”

“Don’t ever forget the path by which God has called you,” Medley said.

During the ceremony, the candidates declared their intention to undertake the ministry and promised obedience to Medley and his successors. Medley then laid his hands on each candidate’s head to symbolize the calling down of the Holy Spirit. Later, the candidates laid on the floor to show that they lay down their lives before Christ.

Read more, including some vocation stories, at the link.

Congratulations, brothers! Ad multos annos! And welcome!

Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News

Deacons

Kentucky

Previous Post

September 15, 2012

Why you can't have the Latin Mass

Next Post

September 16, 2012 A groom writes about "waiting 'till the wedding night"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution politics Politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized Vatican VATICAN vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Christian group is known for practicing strict nonviolence?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mennonites Methodists Lutherans Presbyterians

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »