by Jeremy Meuser, Seminarian

 

Detroit's new transitional deacons: Rev. Misters Lee Acervo, left, Mark Prill, Charles Altermatt, Clint McDonell and Sama Muma. Their presbyteral ordination will be in May 2008.

It was a special day at the Heart, Saturday, December 15. The seminary community joyfully gathered around five Detroit seminarians while they made lifelong promises to God and the Church. They received the laying on of hands from Bp. Daniel E. Flores, entering them into the transitional diaconate, the first of the three degrees of Holy Orders. This irrevocable step is one of the most significant of a man's life.

 

Prayer, sacramental duties, preaching and ministries of service constitute the role of the deacon. The promise of celibacy complements these, as a sign and a motive of pastoral charity, allowing the man to be free to serve God and humanity. It is to these callings that the man bonds himself of his own free will, and by these that the man resolves to conform himself to Christ. For these five men—Mark Prill, Sama Muma, Charles Altermatt, Lee Acervo and Clint McDonell—it is the final preparatory step on their journey to the priesthood.

 

Rev. Mr. Lee Acervo commented after the celebration, "I was thinking of all the men, all my friends, who have gone before me and thought, 'Wow, now it's our turn.' It was surreal!" Raising the chalice during the Great Amen was a moment Lee says he will never forget.

 

We join with the Church's prayer of ordination, "Lord, send forth upon them the Holy Spirit, that they may be strengthened by the gift of your seven fold grace to carry out faithfully the work of ministry." Through the help of God, they will be faithful.

 

Congratulations, men of God, and thank you!