By Gretchen Keiser, Staff Writer

ATLANTA--The moment of ordination to the permanent diaconate is described by Archbishop John F. Donoghue as signifying “total receptivity and complete self-surrender” for the 14 men who made that commitment June 10.

“Although it is true that you will leave this cathedral this morning more than you were when you came, it is also very true that you will leave with less of your self than you brought,” the archbishop said in homily, which preceded the laying on of hands and the ordination rite.

“As ordained servants,” he said, ‘we are not to speak our own message, but the message of God to which we now surrender; we are not to serve the faithful with our own strength, but with the strength of God which is given to us in this sacrament, and to which we now surrender.”

“We surrender to His presence within us, and we try to let ourselves be remade in His likeness,” the archbishop said in exhortation at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

His emphasis upon the need to be a servant and to rely not on human skill and strength, but on a conversion to Christ, was reiterated in the rite of ordination for the new permanent deacons.

In a cathedral warm with 90-degree temperatures outside, and with the overflowing presence of family members, parishioners and friends inside, the 14 candidates promised “respect and obedience” to the archbishop and to his successors. The only single man, Stanley T. Prawdzik, made a commitment to lifelong celibacy. All 14 resolved to be faithful to commitments to prayer and service to the church. Kneeling before Archbishop Donoghue, each was ordained in the laying on of hands, and after being vested with the stole and dalmatic, each was given the Gospels with the prayer: “Receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose herald you are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”

The call to ordination has been confirmed over a four-year period of study and formation. The new deacons represent 13 parishes from Hartwell to Fairburn and from Fayetteville to Duluth.

“This particular group went through the most stringent formation and educational program (of) any deacon ordained in this archdiocese. It was the first four-year formation class,” noted Deacon Loris Sinanian, assistant vicar for deacons.

Prior to this class formation lasted a maximum of three years. The last diaconate class was ordained in 1991, said Deacon Alfred Mitchell, vicar for deacons, and, at this time, a new class has not yet been formed. The diaconate is open to married and single men.

The permanent diaconate was restored in the Roman rite in 1967 after falling out of use in the Western Church since the fourth or fifth century. In the U.S. Catholic Church the permanent diaconate was restored in 1968. Following ordination permanent deacons may perform baptisms, marriages and funeral rites, may preach at Mass and lead Communion services, and assist the church in a variety of special ministries and services.

There are now 134 permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Deacon Mitchell said, which he characterized as “a fairly good number” given the size of the Catholic population.

Four parishes will have permanent deacons for the first time following the June 10 ordination: Deacon Thomas Shuler at Holy Spirit, Atlanta; Deacon Jerry Korte at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Hartwell; Deacon Jim Weeks at St. Matthews, Fairburn; and Deacons Bob Readdy and Robert Rich at St. James in McDonough. Only one new deacon is assigned to a parish other than his home parish: Deacon Eugene Whitmeyer of Corpus Christi Parish, Stone Mountain, will serve at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Decatur.

The lengthy preparation and depth of feeling was reflected on the faces of family members, who helped the new deacons after the Mass.

“You can’t really express the feeling. You’re excited. You’re relived,” said Deacon Prawdzik. “That word ‘humility’ keeps going through my mind. It is nothing we are doing on our own.”

Inspired by the faith shown by catechumens and candidates joining the Catholic Church, the new deacon assigned to Sacred Heart Parish, Griffin, hopes to work in re-evangelization of lifelong Catholics who may not have fully internalized the faith they received as children. He is also hoping to work with the terminally ill.

Father James Caffrey, MS, pastor of St. Matthew’s, Fairburn, is looking forward to the collaborative work the parish can accomplish “with priest, deacon and laity.”

“We are a caring community with very serious responsibilities,” Father Caffrey said of the 380-family parish which nurtured the vocation of Deacon Jim Weeks. “It is an exciting time for the church.”

The parish works in outreach to the sick and sacramentally to Catholics who are among those living at Christian City, a complex of buildings serving the senior citizens, with every level of health care from assisted living to hospice.

Father Paul Berney, pastor of St. Gabriel’s in Fayetteville, will now have Deacon T.C. Meuninck assisting two other deacons in preaching, baptismal and marriage preparation and in moderating parish lay commissions.

Conyers Deacon Jack Jansen was preparing to baptize his newest grandchild, Paul Nathaniel Rearick, the day following his ordination and expects to preach monthly at Mass at St. Pius X Parish. He will also serve as a chaplain at Rockdale Hospital and assist Father John Walsh, the pastor, in a variety of parish duties.

The final year of formation added to the diaconate provided additional time for homilies, the development of sermons and preaching skills, Deacon Sinanian said, as well as a practicum in the liturgical functions of baptism, marriage and funeral rites. The year also provided extensive study of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church and pastoral preparation in listening skills and special ministries. All of the deacons are assigned to parishes as of June 10.