By Rita McInerney

"May you recognize them as disciples of Jesus who came to serve, not to be served," Bishop George E. Lynch told an overflow congregation Saturday, May 16 of the 27 men ordained to the permanent diaconate. The Cathedral of Christ the King was filled with family and friends for the first of two ordinations for the class of 51 men. Twenty-four will be ordained Saturday morning, May 23 at 10 a.m.

Bishop Lynch, retired auxiliary bishop of Raleigh, NC, presided at the rite in the absence of his longtime friend, Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan, hospitalized with a stroke since May 1.

The 27 men, after three years of study and prayer, were solemn during the lengthy ceremony which began as Deacon Walter Bedard, director of the permanent diaconate for the archdiocese, called them to ordination. Then their wives stood beside them in the pew and gave their consent to the rite. They were presented to Bishop Lynch by Father William Hoffman, former director of the permanent diaconate and now pastor of St. Jude in Sandy Springs, with these words: "I testify that upon inquiry among the people of God, and upon recommendation of those who are specially qualified, they have been found worthy."

To this the bishop replied: "We rely on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and we choose our brothers here present for the office of deacon." At this the entire congregation gave consent with warm applause.

During his homily, Bishop Lynch expressed his deep regret at the illness of Archbishop Donnellan. He told of attending the same high school as the archbishop. He was a freshman when the archbishop was a senior. "I have been looking up to him for many years," he said of his friend of more than half-a-century.

He explained to the congregation the duties the new deacons would assume at the discretion of their bishop. They will preside at the Liturgy of the Word, at baptisms, marriages and prayers for the dying, and in works of charity. He urged the new deacons to "do the will of God generously, to serve God and mankind in love and joy." They should always be "men of good reputation, above suspicion; men firmly rooted in faith who not only listen to God's word but also preach it."

Each man went alone to stand before the bishop at the altar several times:

- For the promise of obedience. The bishop clasped his hand, looked into his eyes, and speaking in a clear voice said, "Do you promise respect and obedience to your ordinary? May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment."

- For the laying on of hands. The bishop prayed that the Holy Spirit would send His spirit upon him, that he would excel in every virtue and would give to the world the witness of a pure conscience.

- To be embraced by the bishop in the exchange of peace.

After the candidates promised to obey, they dropped to a prone position in the center aisle while the Litany of the Saints was sung.

At the conclusion of Mass, outside the cathedral, happiness was contagious as the new deacons were surrounded by wives, children, parents, fellow deacons and proud parishioners. A reception given by the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women followed in the Hyland Center.

Priests of the archdiocese concelebrated with Bishop Lynch. Father James A. Schillinger was master of ceremonies and Deacon Thomas Slagle assistant master of ceremonies. Readers were Connie Sambrone and Sharon Womack. Music was presented by the Holy Cross Folk Group under the direction of Debbie Neidert.

This is the fourth ordination for permanent deacons held in the archdiocese. The first took place in 1977 with two deacons being consecrated. The second took place in 1978 when five were ordained and the third in 1982 with eight invested. Before last Saturday's ceremony there were 23 deacons in the archdiocese. This figure includes transfers from other dioceses.

The size of this year's class, 51, is believed to be among the largest ever in the country. According to Bill Byrne, director of deacons for the diocese of Rockville Center, Long Island, NY, the first class there had 52 ordained. "It was much too large," he said. Now the diocese does not accept a formation group of more than 25. The diocese will ordain 14 next week.

Twenty-five or thirty would be the ideal number for the future classes here, according to Deacon Bedard.

This year's class includes 13 from Holy Cross; five from Our Lady of the Assumption and Transfiguration; four from St. Philip Benizi; three from St. Thomas Aquinas; two from Sts. Peter and Paul, St. John Neumann, St. Ann's in Marietta, and Blessed Sacrament; and one each from St. Anthony; St. John the Evangelist, Hapeville; St. Anna, Monroe; Holy Family, Marietta; Sacred Heart, Griffin; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Carrollton; Immaculate Heart of Mary; St. Lawrence, Lawrenceville; St. Bernadette, Cedartown; Christ Our Hope, Lithonia; St. Paul of the Cross; St. Mark, Cleveland; and one from the Korean Apostolate at St. Thomas More.

Sister Pilar Dalmau, ACJ, head of the Hispanic Apostolate, said the five Spanish-speaking deacons all will be working on diocesan programs. "We need their help," she said. They will preach and give support in cities where there is no Spanish-speaking priest: Dalton, Gainesville, Carrollton, Athens, among others.

They will be working in evangelization in the archdiocese, in the Family Movement and in Cursillo, she added.

The Spanish community honored the five: Matias Casal, Evelio Garcia-Carreras, Enrique L. Galvis, Arturo Jimenez and Jose A. Narvaez, at a reception Saturday afternoon at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

The diaconate class lost two men to death. George Miner, a member of St. Joseph's in Athens, died of cancer in December, 1985, and Thomas Coffey, of Our Lady of the Assumption, died in January.

Deciding to enter the diaconate program was a hurdle for some. One new deacon said he had always worked for the Church and had to work through "Why ordain? What difference would it make? But I'm comfortable with it now."

Another said of the three-year program the he never thought "it wasn't worth the struggle. There were times I doubted I would make the grade." He had high praise for the instructors. "They couldn't have picked any better ones. It strengthened my faith knowing we had such talented people, well prepared and knowledgeable."

Another candidate also mentioned their influence. He was "impressed most with the teachers … who shared their lives -- joys and sorrows -- with us."

Fourteen wives received advanced catechists certificates for attending all the classes. Many others attended for a year, others for longer periods. Some were unable to share the classes because there were children who needed them at home. Two other women, Kay Blair and Mary Kay Gleason, both of Holy Cross, also completed the course and received certificates.