Mangaluru: The Holy Mother Church was gladdened having received the invitation of 16 youngsters responding to the call of God, thus being elevated to the order of Diaconate at St Joseph’s Inter-diocesan Seminary, Jeppu, Mangalore on Thursday, June 15 afternoon. Bishop Aloysius Paul D’souza the Bishop of Mangaluru conferred the order of Diaconate to these 16 candidates belonging to 5 dioceses from across India and one religious congregation.
Ashwin Crasta, Thrishan D’souza, Rohan Dias, Flavian Lobo, Roopesh Tauro are from the Diocese of Mangaluru. Ashwin Aranha from the Diocese of Udupi, Joly Alphons, Martin Matthew from Kannur Diocese, Fredin Joseph from Calicut Diocese, Roshan D’souza and Deepak Furtado from Gulbarga, and Rayan Pinto, Nelson Cardoza, Anthon Souza, Peter Periera, Wilson D’Costa are for Carmelite religious congregation.
A solemn homily preached by ordaining prelate Most Rev. Aloysius Paul D’souza, who meaningfully explained the nature and importance of the ministry of Diaconate in the Church, He further urged the Ordinadi to do the will of God generously and to serve God and mankind in love and joy. Addressing the deacons Bishop expressed, “You are the ministers of the word of God and you have to express in action what you proclaim by word of mouth. The Church extends its love and whole hearted acceptance towards this young men’s response to the divine call” was the core message of the homily. The entire service was cheered with the auspicious and high note of gratitude from the part of the entire Josephite family being proposed by Rev. Fr Joseph Martis, Rector of the Seminary, who thanked the huge gathering. On behalf of the newly ordained Deacons, Dn Ashwin Aranha whole heartedly expressed his sentiments of gratitude towards the formators and their respective Prelates for helping them to ascend the Altar of Lord. The angelic choir was led by Fr Ronald Serrao, the liturgical animator of the seminary.
The ceremony was concelebrated by around 100 priests of various dioceses of South India. Great number of Christ’s faithful witnessed the same. Diaconate program culminated with a colorful felicitation programme.
