Happy news from south Jersey: last weekend, they added 10 more deacons to the roster.

From the Catholic Star Herald in Camden:

Bishop Joseph A. Galante ordained 10 men as deacons on Saturday morning, May 9, at Church of the Incarnation in Mantua.

Eight men were ordained permanent deacons to serve in the Diocese of Camden:

— Deacon Francis A. Cerullo, 56, St. Padre Pio Parish, Vineland,

— Deacon Jose M. Cruz, 60, St. Nicholas Parish, Egg Harbor,

— Deacon Frank Guaracini, Jr., 54, Sacred Heart Parish, Vineland,

— Deacon E. Michael Henry, 70, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden,

— Deacon Joseph J. Izzo, 61, Incarnation Parish, Mantua,

— Deacon Albert A. LaMonaca, Jr., 59, St. Mary Parish, Williamstown,

— Deacon Leonard W. Long, 57, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Absecon,

— Deacon Donald W. Rogozenski, 51, St. Mary Parish, Rosenhayn.

In addition, Deacon Michael A. Truman, 52, Immaculate Conception Parish, Elkton, Md., was ordained a permanent deacon to serve in the Diocese of Wilmington.

Also Bishop Galante ordained Rev. Mr. Jon Peter Thomas, 26, of Mantua, as a transitional deacon. His ordination as a transitional deacon marks his final stage of preparation toward his future ordination to priesthood.

“The call from God was something that I could not ignore,” said Joseph J. Izzo, the owner of a CPA firm in Cherry Hill under the name IHM, Inc. His activities with the Diocese of Camden include serving in a Bible prison ministry at Riverfront Prison in Camden, and participating in a prayer group ministry with Father Timothy Byerley, pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, Deptford.

Deacon Izzo’s call to the diaconate “was a strong interior message. As I progressed in the formation process, I became ever aware that this was a genuine call by God.”

Deacon Albert A. LaMonaca, Jr., echoed Deacon Izzo’s sentiments. A parishioner at St. Mary,, he has served as a lector and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist.

For the past 27 years, he has also aided the community as a town council member, mayor and a school board member, while raising three sons with his wife of 37 years, Donna. With a “strong sense of service to others and the church instilled in me by parents,” he said he is ready to serve the church even further.

“Over the years, the whisper by God for me to serve his church continued and (was) many times ignored, but he turned up the volume in increments that eventually became a shout,” Deacon LaMonaca said.

“I hope to try as his deacon and pray for his Holy Spirit to lead me where he wants me to serve in the Diocese of Camden.”

Visit the link for the full story. And congratulations, one and all! Ad multos annos!