A reader sent me some news several days ago: a new group of deacons was ordained earlier this month in the Diocese of Worcester (Massachusetts). The local Catholic paper had the news:

Bishop McManus will ordain seven men into the permanent diaconate tomorrow morning at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

Scott R. Reisinger and Frank B. Myska Jr. of Worcester; Ronald B. Buron of Auburn; Pierre G.L. Gemme of Rutland; Marc E. Gervais of Oxford; and Dennis J. Cormier and James W. Graves of Westminster are to be ordained to the Order of Deacon in a Mass that begins at 10 a.m.

The seven married men will join the more than 75 deacons in the diocese in service to the church.

The word deacon come from the Greek word “diakonia” which means servant. Deacons are not ordained to the ministerial priesthood but to the ministry of service, according to the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.

“Through ordination the deacon is conformed to Christ, who came to serve, not to be served,” the catechism says.

Deacons may baptize, proclaim the Gospel, preach, preside at funerals, assist at and bless marriages, and assist the bishop or priest in the celebration of the Eucharist.

“They dedicate themselves to charitable endeavors, which was their ministerial role in New Testament times,” the catechism says. Pope Paul VI restored the permanent diaconate in 1967.

Mr. Reisinger, 50, is a parishioner of St. Peter Parish in Worcester. He lives in Worcester with his wife, Anne Marie (Lenhard), and daughter, Hannah Elizabeth.

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Rochester and a master’s in philosophy at Columbia University. He is the headmaster at Bancroft School.

Deacon Reisinger will be the homilist at a Mass of Thanksgiving Sunday at St. Peter’s Church. Msgr. Francis Scollen is to be presider with concelebrants Father John Madden, Father Paul LaPalme, Father Miguel Pagan. Deacon John Franchi is to assist. A public reception will follow.

Mr. Myska, 53, is a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Parish, Worcester. He and his wife, Elizabeth L. (Kane), live in Worcester.

He earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Worcester State College and a master’s in business administration from Suffolk University.

He is the bookkeeper for The Catholic Free Press.

Deacon Myska will be homilist at a Mass of Thanksgiving on April 20 at 10 a.m. in Immaculate Conception Church. Presider is to be Father William E. Champlin and Father John E. Kelley, concelebrant. A public reception will follow.

Mr. Buron, 64, is a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish, Auburn.

He and his wife, Kathleen I. (Mahan) have three grown children: Michelle Derkosrofian, 40; Mark Buron, 37 and Melissa Collins, 34; and five grandchildren.

He is the office manager for Donelan’s Supermarket and graduate of Worcester State College.

He is also a graduate of Massachusetts Military Academy and was commissioned Second Lieutenant. He served in the Army National Guard.

Deacon Buron will be the homilist at a Mass of Thanksgiving Sunday at St. Joseph Church. Presider is to be Father Lawrence J. Esposito with concelebrant Father Paul Lemire and Deacon Peter Ryan assisting. A public reception will follow.

Mr. Gemme, 50, is a parishioner of St. Patrick Parish in Rutland. He and his wife, Carol Ann Orcutt, have two children, Melissa and Deanna, and one grandchild.
He is a self-employed carpenter and graduate of Bay Path Regional Vocational High School, Charlton.

He has many relatives with religious vocations including Father Gerard Durocher, Brother Adam Zielonka, Father Stephen Concordia, Sister Constance Gemme, Sister Theresa Gemme, Sister Marguerite Gemme, and Blessed Mother Marie Rose Durocher.

Deacon Gemme will be homilist a Mass of Thanksgiving on April 20 at St. Patrick’s. Presider is to be Father James P. Kerrigan and Father Kenneth Cardinale, concelebrant. A public reception will follow.

Mr. Gervais, 52, is a parishioner of St. Roch Parish in Oxford. He and his wife, Roberta (Duval) have three children; Matthew, Stefanie and Joel.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Assumption College, Worcester; a master’s in education from Springfield College, Springfield and a nursing diploma from Worcester City Hospital School of Nursing.

He is a Registered Nurse, case manager for Tufts Health Plan.

Deacon Gervais will be homilist at a Mass of Thanksgiving at 11 a.m. Sunday at St. Roch’s. Father Robert Kelly is to be presider with Deacon Wesley Stevens assisting. A public reception will follow.

Mr. Cormier, 53, is a parishioner of St. Edward the Confessor Parish. He lives in Westminster with his wife, Maria Deanna (Vincent). They have four children, Stephaine Lynne, David Benjamen, Jesson Cortes and Ann Salinas.

He is a house carpentry instructor/teacher at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, Fitchburg, of which he is also a graduate.

Deacon Cormier will be homilist at a Mass of Thanksgiving at 11 a.m. Sunday at St. Edward the Confessor. Presider is to be Father Terence Kilcoyne with Deacon Roderick Cashes assisting. A public reception will follow.

Mr. Graves, 56, is also a parishioner of St. Edward the Confessor in Westminster. He and his wife, Dorothy A. (Glockner) have four children; Jennifer Marie, James Frank, Emily Anne, and Michael James.

He is a graduate of Worcester State College with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

He is the senior director of patient financial services for UMass-Memorial Medical Center.

Deacon Graves will be homilist at a Mass of Thanksgiving Sunday in St. Anna Church in Leominster. Bishop George E. Rueger is to be presider with concelebrant Father James B. Callahan. A public reception will follow.

Wonderful news! Welcome, brothers — and congratulations.

Also: the local Worcester paper has a nice write up about the ordination.

And there’s a terrific photo album of the ordination at this link. Enjoy.