Archbishop José H. Gomez speaks to the diaconate class of 2008 at St. Rose of Lima Church May 31. Jordan McMorrough | Today’s Catholic

SAN ANTONIO • On the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 24 men were ordained deacons for the archdiocese in a Mass celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Parish. Archbishop José H. Gomez, principal celebrant, called it a “providential coincidence” that the ordination was being celebrated on this feast day. “Mary, Our Blessed Mother, will be the best model and intercessor of your new ministry in the church!” he exclaimed.

Attendees to the May 31 liturgy filled the sanctuary and parking lots of one of the biggest churches in San Antonio more than an hour before the 10 a.m. start, with significant overflow spilling out the doors of the building on the warm summer morning. The size of the crowd prompted Archbishop Gomez in his welcoming remarks to speculate that new venues might be needed for these events in the future.

Following the opening readings, Father Jim Rutkowski, director of the diaconate program, called each of the deacon candidates by name and asked them to come forward. Each answered “present,” stood up from their pew in the midst of the congregation, and approached the archbishop.

Father Rutkowski then said to the archbishop, “Most Reverend Father, holy mother church asks you to ordain these men, our brothers, to the responsibility of the diaconate.” “Do you know them to be worthy?” the archbishop asked. The priest replied, “After inquiry among the Christian people and upon the recommendation of those responsible, I testify that they have been found worthy.” Archbishop Gomez answered, “Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose these, our brothers, for the order of diaconate.” The congregation, filled with the ordinand’s families, fellow deacons, pastors and parish well-wishers, responded with sustained applause and a standing ovation.

In his homily, the archbishop told the nearly two dozen candidates that with their ordination to the diaconate they are called to serve the people of God in communion with the bishop and his priests. “Then, as collaborators of the bishop and priests, you have the same mission of Mary and the apostles to bring Christ to the people of God!”

Archbishop Gomez shared two brief points from the day’s readings. From the first reading, Acts 6:1-7, he explained that the diaconate is a vocation, a call from God. “It is important to notice that ‘those designated for ordination are not representatives or delegates of the Christian community; they are ministers of God. They have received a calling and, by the imposition of hands, God — not men — gives them a spiritual power which equips them to govern the Christian community, make and administer the sacraments and preach the Word.’”

The second reading, from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, 12:9-16, gives a simple and practical road map for ministry, according to Archbishop Gomez. “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing honor … practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the poor.”

The archbishop continued, “My brothers, it sounds easy, but we know that it is not. We, the clergy, have been entrusted with the ‘ministry of reconciliation.’ We must be apostles of reconciliation in a world that is angry and violent, in a culture of blame and revenge.”

Archbishop Gomez quoted from his pastoral letter, “The Tender Mercy of Our God.” He stated, “For the love of God we have to love our neighbors. We have to show our love in concrete works of mercy — welcoming the immigrant, healing the brokenhearted, raising up the lowly, fighting for the unborn and the family.”

The archbishop told the diaconate class of 2008 that theirs is a ministry that is called to live in their families and parishes: a joyful call to bring the good news of salvation, mercy and love to the people of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

“To Mary, Our Blessed Mother, we pray that your ministry among us will be a ‘new visitation;’ that you will have the grace to bring people to a personal encounter with the living Christ,” he concluded.

After the homily, as the rite of ordination continued with the promises of the elect, the candidates declared before the assembly their intention to undertake the office of deacon, while four from the group, including three transitional deacons and one unmarried permanent deacon, were asked to embrace the celibate state.

During the litany of supplication, the candidates prostrated themselves before the altar while Archbishop Gomez prayed that God will mercifully pour out the graces of his blessing on his servants, as the archdiocesan choir sang the litany of saints. “Lord God, mercifully hear our prayers and graciously accompany with your help what we undertake by virtue of our office,” said the archbishop. “Sanctify by your blessing these men we present, for in our judgment we believe them worthy to exercise sacred ministries.”

Afterwards, the elect rose. One by one they went to Archbishop Gomez, who stood at his chair wearing the miter, and they knelt before him as his placed his hands upon the head of each of them, praying as he ordained them. Then, a designated spouse, relative, or close friends of the ordinand vested the new deacon in his stole and dalmatic.

Lastly, the archbishop hands on the Book of the Gospels. “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become,” he says. “Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”

Ordained as permanent deacons were Jacques Abat of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Selma, Russell Brant of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in New Braunfels, Pedro Cuellar of St. Matthew Parish in San Antonio, Larry Edwards of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Helotes, James Garza of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio, Ralph Guerra of Sacred Heart Parish in Floresville, Jim Hewson of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in San Antonio, Harold Kaufhold of Notre Dame Parish in Kerrville, Patrick Klein of St. Mary Parish in Fredericksburg, Jerome Kozar of St. Anthony Mary Claret Parish in San Antonio, Francisco Lafuente, Sr., of St. Margaret Mary Parish in San Antonio, José Martinez of Resurrection of the Lord Parish in San Antonio, Gabriel Mendiola of St. Matthew Parish in San Antonio, Mike Muñoz of Mission San José in San Antonio, Michael Nealist of St. Matthew Parish in San Antonio, Arsenio Reyes of Señyor Santo Niño de Cebú Parish in San Antonio, Robert Rios of St. Matthew Parish in San Antonio, Antonio Rivera of St. Matthew Parish in San Antonio, Richard Salazar of Holy Rosary Parish in San Antonio, John Schwartze of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in New Braunfels, and Luis Villanueva of St. Joseph Parish in Devine.

New transitional deacons from Assumption Seminary include Jesús Gerardo Anguiano Rivera, Alberto Guadalupe Colín Marín and Henry Clay Hunt III.

Following the liturgy of the Eucharist, the Guadalupanas of St. Matthew Parish hosted a reception in the St. Rose of Lima Parish Hall.