‘Remain firm and steadfast in Christ’
CHARLOTTE — In a special Mass with many of their wives in attendance, permanent deacons from across the Diocese of Charlotte renewed their ordination promises during the Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis Aug. 13 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
During his homily, Bishop Jugis reminded the deacons they had come to renew their promises “to continue to remain firm and steadfast in Christ.” He emphasized that one of the promises they would renew is to serve in their ministry with humility and charity.
“Parishioners expect to find the image of Christ in you. Christ, who is the model of humility and charity,” Bishop Jugis said. He noted that Christ, in Matthew’s Gospel 20:20-28, said “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.’’
The diocesan Mass for the Affirmation of Ordination of Promises by Deacons is held annually around the Aug. 10 feast of St. Lawrence, a deacon who was martyred during the persecution of Christians in the year 258.
Dozens of the deacons’ wives also attended the Mass and reaffirmed their commitment to serve alongside their husbands to build up the local Church.
Bishop Jugis reminded the deacons of their obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and “to be in contact with the Lord daily in your prayers” to stay close to Christ and serve His people faithfully in their ministry.
Deacon Andy Cilone of Immaculate Conception Parish in Forest City was one of the first men to be ordained for the permanent diaconate for the diocese in 1983. Now 84, he and his wife, JoAnn, are still actively serving the Church 39 years later.
“It’s been a great blessing. I can’t think of my life any other way,” Deacon Cilone said. “It’s a beautiful call and I thank God for the call.” Of his wife’s commitment he said, “I couldn’t do it without her. She has been my support.”
Deacon Quang Nguyen of St. Joseph Church in Charlotte, ordained in 2018, is the first Vietnamese deacon ordained for the Charlotte diocese.
“I’ve moved from being a ‘baby’ deacon to ‘crawling’ deacon,” Deacon Nguyen joked. “After four years, the journey has changed. I have realized the humbler we are, the better the service we are able to do. We wonder just how far we can go to meet what God wants us to do. In the meantime, we just do it.”
Deacon Lon Phillips and his wife, Jan, relocated to Charlotte from Florida three years ago to be near family. They serve in ministry at St. Matthew Church. A deacon for 14 years, Deacon Phillips said the couple were concerned about the size of St. Matthew Church, one of the largest parishes in the U.S. with more than 10,000 registered families.
“I was intimidated by St. Matthew’s size at first, but once I got my head squared away, I said, ‘It doesn’t matter whether there are five people in the pew or 1,500, I am on the altar doing what I have been asked to do,’” Deacon Phillips said.
“I’ve been more involved now,” Jan Phillips noted. “I serve in the food pantry, am a St. Matthew School volunteer and serve as a greeter at church. It’s a wonderful place.”
Deacon John Kopfle of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte serves as the director of the permanent diaconate. “It’s a blessing to see all the good things that deacons do around the diocese. And all that the men and their wives sacrifice for this.
“There have been challenges, of course, with Covid, but things are opening up and we’re able to serve in our ministries again,” Deacon Kopfle added.
There are currently 140 deacons serving the Diocese of Charlotte. Eighteen men have been invited to begin the two-year aspirancy program for the permanent diaconate this fall, which is followed by three years of formation and ordination.
— SueAnn Howell
Did you know?
Permanent deacons are involved in a wide range of ministries but usually are assigned to a parish where they proclaim the Gospel and assist the priest at Mass, oversee or support parish ministries and charitable activities, administer baptisms, officiate at weddings and distribute Holy Communion to the sick and homebound.
They also work in vital ministries including the airport chaplaincy program, prison ministry, faith formation and ministry to children and college students, as well as provide instruction for aspiring Catholics in the RCIA program and more.
More information on the Permanent Diaconate Program can be found online at https://charlottediocese.org/permanent-diaconate.
Your DSA contributions at work
The Permanent Diaconate Program is funded by the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. For more information or to donate, go online www.charlottediocese.org/dsa.
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte is blessed with 45 men currently enrolled in study and formation for the priesthood: 24 men at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, 20 enrolled in major seminary, and one taking a pastoral year.
Anthony del Cid Lucero, a parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Newton, is among those studying at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati. He entered the diocese’s seminarian program in 2017, first attending St. Joseph College Seminary.
To help the faithful of the diocese come to know him and how his call to discern the priesthood has unfolded, the Catholic News Herald recently asked him about his discernment process:
CNH: When did you first hear the call to a vocation to the priesthood?
Del Cid Lucero: I first heard my call as a child. When I was about 6 years old, I longed to be an altar server. It was after my first Communion that I started serving. I knew that God was calling me to think about the priesthood. However, it was not something I wanted to admit to, because everyone kept questioning me about being a priest. It was about my senior year in high school when I started asking myself what I would do with my life. Growing up and going to public school, I was always encouraged to think about what I wanted to do when I grew up. However, I was never really taught in public school to pray and ask the Lord what He wanted me to do. My senior year in high school is when I started asking questions and bringing them to prayer, and it is when I realized that I was asking the wrong question: what do I want to do versus what does God want me to do. As I kept praying and longing for the sacraments, it became evident that God was calling me to discern a vocation.
CNH: Who did you first talk to about your vocation?
Del Cid Lucero: The first person I talked to about discernment was my pastor, Father James Collins. Father Collins has been my pastor for over 20 years. He has an inspiring vocation story that encouraged me to pray for clarity in my discernment. Growing up at St. Joseph Church in Newton allowed me to see the love and zeal he had for his flock; furthermore, how much he loves the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Mother. One of the things he told me was to be patient and not to be afraid.
CNH: How did you go about discerning where you felt called to explore your possible vocation?
Del Cid Lucero: Quo Vadis Days, the diocesan vocational retreat/camp, provided me with many tools to discern. Having the exposure to seminarians and priests was beneficial because it allowed me to see the authentic joy and fulfillment that they had in Christ through their vocations. I think the Eucharistic Congress was essential in my discernment because it allowed me to see priests and seminarians. This is also how I learned about the St. Joseph College Seminary program.
CNH: How and when did you reach out to the Vocations Office at the diocese?
Del Cid Lucero: In Quo Vadis Days, I talked to many priests, including Father Christopher Gober, the diocese’s vocations director. He guided me through the process.
CNH: Tell us about your discernment process in the seminary.
Del Cid Lucero: One of the things that I have fostered in my spiritual life is praying the rosary daily, asking Our Mother for her continuous prayers with a significant focus on increasing faith, hope and charity for myself, friends, family and the world. I have found that the writings of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross have been beneficial and instructional in my spiritual life. The next most significant thing that I have learned to develop is keeping an internal silence by attending Eucharistic Adoration every day and allowing God to speak.
CNH: What advice do you have for a man who might be thinking about the priesthood?
Del Cid Lucero: My advice to young men who are discerning a vocation is to be patient with oneself and God. God provides on His time. I would also encourage them to grow in love and friendship with God, Our Blessed Mother and the angels and saints. Lastly, I would recommend being consistent with one’s devotions and prayers, even during darkness and dryness. The times that seem to be the hardest to pray due to distractions, lack of motivation, etc., can be the most fruitful and filled with spiritual graces.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Your DSA contributions at work
Seminarian education is funded in part by the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. Learn more about the DSA and how to donate online at www.charlottediocese.org/dsa.