Diaconate Ordination Saturday, June 4th

The ordination will be aired live on our web site. Click Here to bookmark the page and watch live on June 4th. Broadcast starts at 9:45 a.m.

Amarillo—Bishop Patrick J. Zurek will ordain 15 men to the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Amarillo during a 10am Mass Saturday, June 4 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1200 South Washington.

“A deacon is a wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit to help our Church spread the good news about Jesus Christ,” said Deacon Blaine Westlake, coordinator of the Diaconate for the Diocese of Amarillo. “Deacons are ordained clergy belonging to one of the three orders of the Sacrament of Holy Orders which are deacon (permanent and transitional), priest and bishop. They receive this sacrament when the bishop imposes hands on them at their ordination as they make a promise of obedience to their bishop. As the needs of the dioceses dictate, the bishop assigns deacons where they are so needed.”

This deacon formation class of 2011 began in Jan. 2007, requiring a significant time commitment of 64 hours or more per month during the 4½ year process, according to Deacon Westlake.

“Each year is comprised of no less than 11 full weekends, one weekend per month,” he said. “These men, along with their dedicated wives, made it through a rigorous formation program, which includes considerable emphasis on academics, pastoral, human and spiritual development, plus prayer/study group meetings, parish internship and charity ministry. This class has been through quite a lot together and have become like brothers and sisters in faith.”

These new deacons join more than 38 permanent deacons actively ministering in the Diocese of Amarillo, thus increasing to 53, serving 29 parishes. Twelve deacons are retired, 11 are deceased and a number have left the diocese and are ministering elsewhere. The diaconate has been serving the Diocese of Amarillo since 1977 when the first class was ordained by Bishop Lawrence M. DeFalco. Additional classes were ordained in 1981, 1988, 1996, 2001 and 2006.

The following will be ordained Permanent Deacons:

• Louis Artho and his wife, Yvonne, of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Dalhart;
• Joe Beauchamp and his wife, Penny, of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Dumas;
• Bob Birkenfeld and his wife, Theresa, of Holy Family Church, Nazareth;
• Teodoro Chávez and his wife, Julia, of St. Ann’s Church, Bovina;
• Stan Drozell and his wife, Marva, of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Amarillo;
• Jackie Gunnels and his wife, Brenda, of Church of the Holy Spirit, Tulia;
• Paul Herrera and his wife, Olivia, of Immaculate Conception of Mary Church, Dimmitt;
• Ricky Mendez and his wife, Jenuive, of San Jose Church, Hereford;
• Pablo Morales and his wife, Delisa, of St. Laurence Church, Amarillo;
• Manuel Moreno and his wife, Lupe, of Immaculate Conception Church, Perryton;
• Renee Jesus Perez and his wife, Graciela, of Blessed Sacrament Church, Amarillo;
• David Rausch and his wife, Mary, of St. Ann’s Church, Canyon;
• Miguel Tovar and his wife, Obdulia, of St. Laurence Church, Amarillo;
• Phil Whitson of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Amarillo; and,
• Henry Wilhelm and his wife, Lori, of Holy Family Church, Nazareth.

The Mass is open to the public and will be followed by a reception in the St. Mary’s Activity Center. For those unable to attend the Ordination Mass, the Mass will be broadcast on St. Valentine Radio, 1360AM, KDJW, beginning at 9:45am. The Mass can also be seen on the diocesan website, www.amarillodiocese.org/live, also beginning at 9:45 a.m.