News - 2020 Diaconate Ordination RSS Feed

He calls their ministry, “a tremendous witness of discipleship”

Deacon Frank Bursic’s faith led him to the formation process to become a deacon, which, in turn, brought him closer to Jesus, preparing him to serve the people of God.

Deacon Jeffrey Formica’s journey to becoming a deacon took nearly three decades.

One of the first things Deacon Joseph F. Kralik, Jr. will tell you about his faith journey is that he fought his calling to the permanent diaconate.

Deacon Paul Lim knew from a young age that he wanted to serve the Catholic Church. At first he thought it would be as a priest, but later realized that God was calling him to the permanent diaconate.

St. Francis of Assisi is often credited as saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” Deacon John Mayer’s college roommate quietly lived out this command, drawing Mayer to the Catholic faith and ultimately to the diaconate.

There aren’t many families where the son is called “Father” and the father is known as “Deacon,” but that will be the case with Deacon Scott Potter's family of St. Bernard Parish in Mount Lebanon.

Deacon Eric Schorr remembers as a teenager in 1974 reading about the first class of permanent deacons ordained for the Diocese of Pittsburgh and being interested in their ministry.

Never having belonged to a parish with a permanent deacon assigned to ministry, Deacon Jim Shope wasn’t familiar with the diaconate but always had been open to the Lord’s call in his life.