ATLANTA—The Archdiocese of Atlanta’s eight new deacons will serve the elderly, the homeless, in hospitals, prisons and other ministries with the ultimate aim of making disciples of all nations.

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory celebrated the Mass of ordination to the permanent diaconate Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta.

The newly ordained deacons are David Barron, Peter Harris, Jack Herndon, Dr. Thomas Kretzmer, Kapya Ngoy, Dr. Robert Perri, Paul Schueth and Jim Skolds.

In his homily Archbishop Gregory reminded the class of deacons that disciples are only made through joyful witness of the charity and compassion of others.

“Mercy is the magnet that attracts people to Christ, and we are to be agents of that mercy,” said the archbishop.

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory lays hands upon diaconate ordination candidate Robert Perri of Prince of Peace Church, Flowery Branch. Photo By Michael Alexander

Archbishop Gregory recalled the work of the first seven deacons in the church, who were called to care tenderly for widows and those alienated from their brothers.

“Those first deacons were summoned to care for those who felt neglected and forgotten—the mission has not changed in all of these centuries.”

Candidates are not chosen because of perfection but are men respected for their integrity of life. Respect of the community of faith will be among the greatest assets for the new deacons, said the archbishop.

He called upon the newly ordained to be servants of the word of God and God’s charity through ministries that care for the unnoticed.

“They are the tax collectors, the fishermen, the deceitful public officials, the women with sinful pasts, the blind people sitting along the roadsides of life begging in our world today,” he said. “Jesus wants them all to become his disciples, and you are to become his vehicles in extending that invitation.”

The rite of ordination includes a promise of obedience by the candidates, the litany of supplication during which they are prostrate in prayer, the prayer of consecration, and the investiture with stole and dalmatic, the vestments of a deacon.

Deacon Kretzmer, an optometrist in Thomaston and a member of St. Peter the Rock Church in The Rock, additionally embraced the promise of celibacy. Archbishop Gregory offered him encouragement as a professional engaged in the work-a-day world.

“Your witness and ministry will speak volumes as you remind the Church and all of your colleagues that such dedication is not only possible but life-enriching as well,” Archbishop Gregory said of the promise of celibacy.

Following the investiture, the archbishop and concelebrants Bishop David P. Talley and Bishop Luis R. Zarama offered the kiss of peace to the new deacons, a gesture repeated by the other deacons and priests at the Mass.

Deacon Dennis Dorner, chancellor of the archdiocese, asked for prayers for Deacon Terry Holmer, who died Feb. 2 from injuries sustained in a car accident. Deacon Holmer served at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church in Douglasville.

Following Mass, Deacon Dorner expressed gratitude to the families of the new deacons and the formation staff, including Sister Margaret McAnoy, IHM, Deacon Jose Espinosa and the quiet work of the co-director of diaconate formation, Penny Simmons. “She is a wonderful gift to the program and this archdiocese,” he said.

Once accepted into the diaconal program, candidates complete a year of aspirancy and, following that, a four-year formation process.

Deacon Dorner acknowledged the continual support of Archbishop Gregory for the permanent diaconate in Atlanta.

“We are so blessed to have an ordinary who lifts us up in spite of our many foibles,” said Deacon Dorner.

Ellijay deacon sees needs of rural poor

In an interview since his ordination, Deacon Schueth, 53, said he is not yet accustomed to being called deacon. His daughter, Sarah, has been calling him “Deacon Daddy.”

The ordination is particularly meaningful for his parish, Good Samaritan in Ellijay, as he is the only current deacon there and the first in several years.

“It has been such a humbling experience, their gratitude. The outpouring has been amazing,” said Deacon Schueth.

Good Samaritan pastor, Father Carlos Vargas, is also encouraging.

“He has been so supportive,” said Deacon Schueth.

The deacon said he has served as a homilist several times, including at a Spanish Mass where a friend translated simultaneously.

“That was really, really interesting,” said the new deacon.

A Coca-Cola national sales executive, he first heard the call to the diaconate while a parishioner at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta but was unsure. The parish already had several deacons. He confided doubt to a friend who said, “What are you … smarter than God now?”

After moving to Ellijay, he continued diaconal formation. He has been active with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and hopes to expand that work and be more involved in serving immigrants and the imprisoned.

His wife, Betsy, is an educator. They encountered the extreme poverty in the area when one of her students, also a parishioner, walked to school without a sweatshirt in brutally cold weather. The young man indicated his family’s mobile home had no heat. What the Schueths found when visiting was eye-opening.

“How wide and deep is this?” he recalled thinking.

The level of poverty in Gilmer County is comparable to the poorest areas of Appalachia.

“You can find that same level of poverty 70 miles north of Atlanta,” said Deacon Schueth.

He said the community is blessed with an active Knights of Columbus council as well as parishioners who tap into resources for the working poor.

Deacon Schueth is versed in the needs of the impoverished there with poverty rooted in drug use.

“We have a lot of parents who are in jail,” he said. “Poverty begets poverty.”

The deacon hopes to make ecumenical inroads to tackle these problems. There are 72 churches in Gilmer County and Good Samaritan is its only Catholic church.

He was delighted that his neighbor, a respected Baptist deacon, attended his first Mass, knowing it will take everyone working together to help those in need.

Deacon Schueth said he’s sad knowing after spending years in formation with the class members, he won’t be seeing them as regularly.

There was a moment from ordination day he will remember forever.

“To be able to give my very first blessing to my wife, it was a loving, tender, grace-filled moment,” he said.

Deacon Nicholas Johnson of Prince of Peace Church, Flowery Branch, left, extends the customary sign of peace to newly ordained deacon James Skolds of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville. Photo By Michael Alexander

The couple recently celebrated 30 years of marriage.

Betsy Schueth said they would make the weekly two-hour car drive together for the formation classes. “It strengthened us as a couple,” she said.

She felt the presence of the Holy Spirit at the ordination Mass.

“This is my first time to attend an ordination. I didn’t know what to expect,” she said.

New deacons to serve in Marietta, Lawrenceville

“It’s the most spiritual thing I’ve ever experienced,” said Michelle Barron, wife of Deacon Barron, 54, of Holy Family Church in Marietta. She called the process a joyous, willing sacrifice on the family’s part.

The Barrons’ two children, both college students, were able to attend the ordination. “They’ve always been excited for their father,” she said.

She really appreciates that diaconate formation includes the wives and offers them programs and retreats.

“It helps you all feel a bond with each other,” she added.

Deacon Harris, 65, the only Georgia-born member of the class, serves at Transfiguration Church in Marietta.

He said that the formation curriculum provided extensive studies and service opportunities over a span of years. But he knows the best help will come from God.

“Even with the multitude of materials and resources at our disposal, the knowledge and abilities we have developed over these few years, there are times when there is no ready Bible reference, Church teaching, or words to say,” said Deacon Harris in an email. “Sometimes being silent, praying, and waiting for our Lord to answer, in his time, not ours or that of the persons we serve, is all we can do.”

Deacon Harris has been asked to serve as a police chaplain but will also continue pastoral care in hospitals, nursing homes and with shut-ins. A retired teacher and school administrator, he hopes to lead formation classes or be a parish administrator for a mission or smaller parish.

Deacon Ngoy, a 45-year-old native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and civil engineer, first heard the call to the diaconate in his 30s. His first inspiration was a deacon at the parish he then attended. He enjoyed the deacon’s preaching but thought it was a vocation for older, retired people.

After nine years in music ministry, Ngoy decided to take a break from that role in church and experienced a strong urge to pursue being a deacon.

“I told my wife about it and she encouraged me to pursue the call. That is when I started researching about the diaconate vocation and the requirement to become one,” he said.

At the time, their three children were young and he was not sure he would be considered. His pastor assured him he would be a good candidate and recommended him.

Deacon Ngoy, a member of St. Marguerite d’Youville Church in Lawrenceville, said the process leading to ordination was great.

“The idea of having a one-week preordination retreat helped me spend much needed time with the Lord; a time necessary to actually grasp the meaning of the important vocation I am about to undertake,” said Deacon Ngoy.

In the weeks prior to ordination, he continued to reflect, which allowed him to “prayerfully be in the moment” during ordination.

“The whole ceremony was heavenly. There are no words that can express the feeling. One has to experience it,” he said.