On the Friday within the Octave of Easter, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki ordained four seminarians to the transitional diaconate during an evening Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield.
Hundreds of people were at the April 1 Mass to support Michael Friedel, Ronnie “Ron” Lorilla, Rafal Pyrchla and Wayne Stock as they received the sacrament of holy orders, ordaining them to the order of deacon as a transitional step toward being a priest for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
Also taking part in the liturgy were over 30 diocesan priests, about a dozen permanent deacons from the Springfield diocese, two transitional deacons who are set to be ordained priests in May and other diocesan seminarians, as well as other fellow seminarians from different dioceses. Father Brian Alford, who is also director of the Office of Vocations, and Deacon Larry Smith, who serves at Cathedral, were masters of ceremonies.
In speaking of the importance of their ordinations, Bishop Paprocki said in his homily: “… For the next year, as you prepare for ordination to the priesthood, you will be exercising your role as a deacon. I urge you not to overlook the importance of this time in your formation. Do not fall into the trap of viewing the diaconate ordination just as a final hurdle to clear on the path toward the ultimate goal of ordination to the priesthood.
“This day of your ordination to the transitional diaconate is no less important than your much-anticipated ordination to the priesthood a year from now, since diaconal service should always be an inseparable dimension of your future priestly ministry,” he said. “We do not shed one holy order upon receiving another, but they remain integrally connected and interwoven elements of the whole character of our divinely-given sacred orders. … The graces that you are about to receive will change your life, and the more you allow yourself to exercise your ministry faithfully as a deacon now, the better prepared you will be to enter into your future ministry as a priest.”
Father David Hoefler, vicar general, presented the candidates for ordination. During the Mass, the four men were given the assent of the assembly, made a commitment to celibacy, promised to follow their vows and were vested with the stole and dalmatic, and received the Book of the Gospels from Bishop Paprocki.
All four men asked one of their mentors to vest them as deacons. Msgr. Gregory Ketchum vested Deacon Friedel; Father Al Allen vested Deacon Lorilla; Canon Walter Ptak vested Deacon Pyrchla; and Father Barry Harmon vested Deacon Stock.
As deacons the four men can assist at Mass, proclaim the Gospel and give homilies, baptize and witness marriages, preside at wake services and at graveside services. Deacons are expected to be especially dedicated to the duties of charity and administration.
Deacons Friedel, Lorilla, Pyrchla and Stock are expected to be ordained priests for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois in May 2017.