Diaconate candidates' retreat focuses on service
SALT LAKE CITY — Nineteen men who began an intensive four-year program to become permanent deacons for the Diocese of Salt Lake City participated in a half-day retreat on Nov. 9 in preparation for the Rite of Candidacy, which will be celebrated Nov. 23. The retreat was presented by the Most Rev. Lorenzo Cardenas, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Papantla, Puebla, Mexico. The retreat was offered in Spanish; all of the men participating in the diaconate program are Spanish-speaking or bilingual. The retreat’s theme was "Diaconate as a Symbol of Ecclesiastic Love." It emphasized that deacons are under the service of the bishop for the people of God, said Bishop Cardenas, adding that the deacon candidates must build a personality to serve others. Bishop Cardenas said that a permanent deacon is an intermediary between the diocese’s bishop and the people of God. "The diaconate is not something that is new; it is not because of the lack of vocations nor just an add-on. … Since the beginning, the Church established them as an intermediary," said Bishop Cardenas. In fact, the Acts of the Apostles mentions Saint Stephen as the Church’s first deacon. The permanent diaconate is an ordained ministry. Unlike transitional deacons, who typically are men destined for the priesthood and therefore are celibate, permanent deacons may be married. They perform various sacramental functions such as weddings without a Mass, funerals and baptisms; they also assist at the Eucharistic liturgy. Father Eleazar Silva, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Salt Lake City, is the director of academics for the Spanish-speaking diaconate program. Deacon Drew Petersen is the overall director. Serving as a deacon is a vocation, Fr. Silva said. "Vocations are a gift from the Holy Spirit; it is the Holy Spirit who calls you and tells you that you need to be in service to the church." "They don’t have to forget that God’s son came to serve; service is God’s will in a special way in a vocation," added Bishop Cardenas. "It is a call from God. He is always there to help them and we are going to give them as many tools as necessary," said Deacon Petersen. The men in the diaconate program are still in the aspirancy period. After the Nov. 23 Rite of Candidacy, they will become candidates, and after that they will spend three years studying many aspects of the Catholic faith as well as gaining practical experience. The Rite of Candidacy will be celebrated by Bishop John C. Wester in the Cathedral of the Madeleine on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. with the 19 Catholic men (and their spouses): + Jose A. and Aurora Becerra-Bejar/St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Orem + Sergio and Nelly Burga/Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, West Valley City + Constantino and Martha Campos/Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, West Valley City + Daniel and Victoria Carrillo/San Felipe Parish, Wendover + Carlos and Maribel Cortez/Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, West Valley City + John and Gracemarie Goette/St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Orem + Kent Lowe/Cathedral of the Madeleine Parish, SLC + Gerado and Carmen Marrufo/Cathedral of the Madeleine Parish, SLC + Carlos and Teresa Mendez/St. George Parish, St. George + Guillermo and Socorro Mendez-Lopez/St. Andrew Parish, Riverton + Joaquin and Erika Mixco/St. Catherine of Siena/Newman Center, SLC + Fernando and Hirais Montaño/St. Elizabeth Parish, Richfield + James David and Julie Nelson/St. John the Baptist Parish, Draper + Duane and Karla Padilla/St. Andrew Parish, Riverton + Julio and Ana Palomino/St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Orem + Odilon and Maria Ricardez/St. Joseph Parish, Ogden + Howard and Tooky Schuyler/St. Florence Mission, Huntsville + Vicente and Aurora Vazquez/St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Orem + Bernardo and Zulma Villar/St. Rose of Lima Parish, Layton
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