Report by : Praveen Joy Saldanha
Pics By : Wilson Shirva

Mangalore:  20 young men, who were preparing and forming themselves to be priests to work in God's service, were ordained deacons at St Joseph’s Seminary, Jeppu here.

Among the 20 deacons, 5 belong to Mangalore diocese, 6 to Kannur diocese, 1 to Calicut diocese, 3 to Carmelites, 2 to Betharam Fathers, and one each to Shimoga, Gumla and Jashpur dioceses.

The ordination rite of the diaconate was celebrated with a solemn liturgy of the Eucharist.  Seminary rector Fr Joseph Martis presented the candidates to Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza of Mangalore to raise them into the position of clergy.

The aspirants pledged to lead a life of celibacy and obedience. After the litany of the saints, the ceremony proceeded with most important sign of the ordination i.e., laying on of hands on the ordinandi by the Bishop. The rite succeeded in the investiture of the deacons with the stole and dalmatics. Afterwards the Bishop gave them the Book of Gospels saying, “Believe what you read, preach what you believe and practice what you preach”. The ritual ended with the kiss of peace.

The Holy Eucharist was followed by the felicitation of the newly ordained deacons. Priests, religious, seminarians, parents, friends, and relatives of the deacons witnessed the solemn diaconate liturgy.

The newly ordained deacons are:
1.      Dn D’Souza Mahesh (Mangalore)
2.      Dn D'Sa Deepak Leo (Mangalore)
3.      Dn Rodrigues Amith Prakash (Mangalore)
4.      Dn Lobo Rohan (Mangalore)
5.      Dn Sequeira George Jeevan (Mangalore)
6.      Dn Erathara Christopher Moxy (Kannur)
7.      Dn Kanari Jacob Vijesh (Kannur)
8.      Dn Linto Stanly (Kannur)
9.      Dn Oliparambil George Jerry (Kannur)
10.     Dn Puliyankil Suneesh Joseph (Kannur)
11.     Dn Vimal Victor (Kannur)
12.     Dn Nevez Tony Gracious (Calicut)
13.     Dn D’Cunha Prakash (OCD)
14.     Dn Menezes Richard (OCD)
15.     Dn Saldanha Joyson (OCD)
16.     Dn George Mathew (SCJ)
17.     Dn Fernando Livin (SCJ)
18.     Dn D’Souza Pius Carmel Mani Prabha (Shimoga)
19.     Dn Soreng Phulgames Fulgence (Gumla)
20.     Dn Minj John Crus (Jashpur)