Eight New Permanent Deacons To Be Ordained

Amarillo—Bishop Patrick J. Zurek is scheduled to ordain eight men to the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Amarillo during a 10:00am Mass Saturday, Dec. 6 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1200 South Washington.
 
“A deacon is a wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit to help our Church to spread the good news about Jesus Christ,” said Deacon Brian Lewis, coordinator of the Diaconate for the Diocese of Amarillo. “Deacons are ordained clergy belonging to one of the three orders of the Sacrament of Holy Orders which are deacon (permanent and transitional), priest and bishop. They receive this sacrament when the bishop imposes hands on them at their ordination as they make a promise of obedience to their bishop. As the needs of the dioceses dictate, the bishop assigns deacons where they are so needed.”
 
The deacon has a threefold ministry of the Word, the Altar and of Charity:
• In the “Ministry of the Word,” deacons engage in evangelism and the teaching mission of the Church. The ministry takes place both inside the parish walls and outside in the world;
• In the “Ministry of the Altar,” the deacon assists the priest at Mass particularly by proclaiming the Gospel, leading the Intercessions, preparing the altar and ministering the chalice to the people at communion. Outside of Mass deacons can preside at Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Morning and Evening Prayer, Benediction and give special blessings on varied occasions; and,
• Deacons are most visible in the parish as they assist the priest at Mass. However, their primary responsibility is the “Ministry of Charity.” The deacon cares for the poor and forgotten. He is a minister of peace and justice in the community. “Deacon” means “servant,” thus he is considered an “Icon of Christ,” who came not to be served but to serve.
 
“No matter what specific functions a deacon performs, they flow from his sacramental identity with Christ,” said Deacon Lewis. “Diaconal Ministry is more than just WHAT a deacon does but WHO a deacon is, that is important.
 
“Most deacons are married, have secular occupations and minister outside work hours. Deacons do not normally receive financial remuneration for their diaconal services, unless they are employed full time in various diocesan and/or parish positions.
 
Permanent Deacons give witness to the spirituality of a married person who works in the world, according to Deacon Lewis. Wives go through the entire formation program with their husbands and many become involved in lay ministry either in conjunction with their husbands or on their own and are a dynamic gift to their parish. Newly ordained deacons usually begin their ministry in the parish where they live. Because of their promise of obedience to the Bishop, they may be transferred, like any clergyman, to meet the needs of the diocese.
“Deacons have their origin in the New Testament and in particular the books of the Acts of the Apostles and Timothy,” said Deacon Lewis. “The diaconate was in existence for several hundred years, but in the Latin rite, gradually evolved into a transitional step toward the priesthood. During World Wars I and II, the concept of the diaconate was redeveloped and promulgated by the Second Vatican Council into the permanent diaconate as we now have, though its identity continues to grow and evolve.
 
“There are number of famous deacons throughout history, including Martyr St. Stephen, one of the original seven; St. Ephrem, St. Anthanasius, St. Lawrence and St. Francis, just to name a few.”
 
This deacon formation class of 2025 began in Jan. 2021, requiring a significant time commitment of 64 hours or more per month during the nearly five-year process, according to Deacon Lewis.  
 
“Each year is comprised of no less than 11 full weekends, one weekend per month,” he said. “These men, along with their dedicated wives, made it through a rigorous formation program, which includes considerable emphasis on academics, pastoral, human and spiritual development, plus prayer/study group meetings, parish internship and charity ministry.
 
These new deacons join 37 permanent deacons actively ministering in the Diocese of Amarillo, thus increasing to 52 deacons, serving 25 parishes. Twelve deacons are retired, 33 are deceased and a number have left the diocese and are ministering elsewhere. The diaconate has been serving the Diocese of Amarillo since October 1977, when the first class was ordained by Bishop Lawrence M. DeFalco. Additional classes were ordained in 1981, 1988, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2020.
 
The following are scheduled to be ordained Permanent Deacons:
• Gabriel Bermudez and his wife Antonia of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Amarillo;
• Jesus Chacon and his wife Estela of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Amarillo;
• Jesus Martinez and his wife Chriselda of San Jose Church, Hereford;
• Todd Murray and his wife Anna of San Jose Church, Hereford;
• Rudy Munoz and his wife Sylvia of St. Vincent de Paul Church, Pampa;
• Dwayne Rickwartz and his wife Lupe of St. Hyacinth Church, Amarillo;
• Kevin Rickwartz and his wife Cheryl of St. Ann’s Church, Canyon; and,
• Martin Ruiz and his wife Margarita of San Jose Church, Hereford.
 
Thumbnail sketches for the eight diaconate candidates can be found on pages 8 and 9 in the second section of this issue of The West Texas Catholic. For those unable to attend the Ordination Mass, the Mass will be broadcast on the Guadalupe Radio Network, 1010AM and 94.5FM, KTNZ; and, on a low-power FM in Castro County near Nazareth at 105.5FM, KHFN-LP, beginning at 9:55. The Mass will also be livestreamed on the St. Mary’s Cathedral’s website.