How do we address the Deacon?
I want to take this time and space to make a very happy announcement about Deacon Joseph MacNeill, newly ordained a Deacon in the Catholic Church last 27 June 2020. The Deacon was anticipating returning to Rome this September to finish his seminary training and then he would be ordained to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ next May or June 2021. But Covid-19 has made some changes to his and the Church of Hartford’s short term plans.
Deacon Joe will not return to Rome this September due to concerns about international travel in these uncertain times. Instead he will stay in the Archdiocese of Hartford and take what is called a Diaconal Pastoral Year, after which he will, God willing, be called to the Sacrament of Holy Orders and ordained a priest next May or June at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford. Until then, Archbishop Leonard Blair has asked if I would take Deacon Joe to live in residence here at the rectory with me and under my pastoral supervision we will work together in the parish as he learns and exercises parish ministry. This begins on September 8th.
As a deacon of the Church, he will preach the Word of God at Mass and serve at liturgies, he will impart the Sacraments of Baptism and witness Marriage vows, he will preside in my stead at wakes and burials and assist with work in Faith Formation and Youth Ministry as well as many other pastoral and programmatic (Pre-Cana, counseling and visiting the sick and homebound) activities of the parish. In addition to this assignment (since most of us in the Church now have more than one job), Deacon Joe will also serve as Prefect of Seminarians to Auxiliary Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield from time-to-time.
I just want to take this opportunity to welcome Deacon Joe to the wonderful parish community of St. Catherine of Siena and assure him of how pleased I am to have him here and extend to him my expectation that he will, like me, feel mightily blessed to be assigned to this parish and to the people who make it such a vibrant and hopeful community. Welcome, Deacon! Fraternally,-Fr. Michael