Join us at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Church for the Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate of Br. Edgar Alexis Ayala Ponce, OFM, through the imposition of Hands and invocation of the Holy Spirit by Most. Rev. Felipe Pulido, Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego.
At the ordination, the Bishop will lay his hands on the candidate and pray the prayer of consecration. Through this sacrament of Holy Orders, the man becomes a cleric and receives the grace to serve the Church in a new way.
As a deacon, he may:
- Proclaim the Gospel at Mass
- Preach homilies
- Baptize
- Witness marriages
- Preside at funerals and certain prayer services
- Assist the priest at the altar
- Serve the poor, the sick, and the wider community
He does not celebrate Mass, hear confessions, or anoint the sick; those are reserved for priests and bishops.
It is important because the diaconate is not just a “practice stage.” In Catholic teaching, it is a real participation in Holy Orders and a real ministry of service.
The word deacon comes from the Greek diakonos, meaning servant or minister. So before a man becomes a priest, the Church first ordains him to a ministry centered on service.
Join us for this important celebration!