The group has completed three of the five-year period of study and discernment for the diaconate. Candidates are Glen Bertrand and Albert Weinnig of Saint Joseph Parish in DeRidder; Joseu Canelo and Patrick Hebert of Saint Henry Parish in Lake Charles and Erroll Deville and Harold Nixon of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lake Charles.
Also, Richard Donahoe of Saint Martin de Porres Parish in Lake Charles; Keith Ellender of Saint Theresa of The Child Jesus Parish in Carlyss; Christopher Fontenot of Our Lady of Counsel Parish in Lake Charles; Daniel Foreman of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish in Sulphur; James Christopher Gregory of Immaculate Conception Parish in Maplewood; and Michael Guillory of Saint Paul Parish in Elton.
Also, Leo Hebert of Saint Theodore Parish in Moss Bluff; Jesse Menard of Saint Joseph Parish in Vinton; Anthony Pousson of Saint Margaret of Scotland Parish; in Lake Charles; Brian Soileau of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Oakdale; and Stephen Starr of Saint Raphael Parish in Iowa.
The men are to be instituted as Lectors on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Kinder and will be instituted as Acolytes on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Maplewood.
Their ordination as Permanent Deacons is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2014 in Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles.
In his homily, Bishop Provost explained to the Deacon candidates and their families and friends in attendance what was occurring and defined a “candidacy”.
“Candidacy is a modification of a much more ancient ceremony in the old rite called tonsure,” Bishop Provost said. “In that ceremony, the man being tonsured became a “cleric” according to the law of the Church. He also was well on his way, preparing for the priesthood. With the reform of the rites, this initial step, preparing for ordination, ceased being an admission into the clerical state and became a public commitment to pursue ordination or Holy Orders, either as a permanent deacon or as a transitional deacon on his way to priestly ordination.
“Following Candidacy you will be installed as a lector and acolyte, respectively,” the Bishop continued. “These two are formal ministries in the Church, and while open to laity as well who are not pursuing ordination, they remain generally two further steps towards ordination. A reader at Mass is not an installed lector, nor is an extraordinary minister of communion an acolyte. Candidacy, as it were, points the way for an individual to respond to what he thinks is God’s call and to discern further that call to Holy Orders.”
Later, he pointed out, “Candidacy is your public acceptance of the call to further holiness of life. If all Christians are called to “the full stature of Christ,” then you had better know what that means because others will depend upon you to guide them, not just by an action but with a ‘grace that was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.’ May you pursue the work of building up the unity of the Body of Christ by seriously deepening your relationship with Jesus Christ.”
