Chicago, IL (May 13, 2014) – Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago, will ordain seven men as permanent deacons at 2:15 p.m., on Sunday, May 18, at Holy Name Cathedral, State and Superior Streets in
Chicago. One has already been ordained, on Saturday, May 10, with the transitional deacons at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary.
The newly ordained deacons completed a comprehensive four-year program through the Institute for Diaconal Studies at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary that included the human,
spiritual, intellectual and pastoral dimensions of formation, field education experiences in service to charity and evangelization, and a year-long parish pastoral ministry internship. Typically, newly-ordained deacons are assigned to their home parishes, which this year include parishes in: Chicago, Evanston, Morton Grove, Mount
Prospect, Mundelein, Old Mill Creek and Orland Hills.
More than 98 percent of deacons are married with families and most are also engaged in outside occupations. They are clergy, along with priests and bishops. The ministries that Deacons perform include the
teaching mission of the Church, caring for the poor, performing baptisms and marriages, conducting funeral liturgies, presiding at wake services and assisting the priest at Mass by proclaiming the Gospel, preaching,
leading intercessions, preparing the altar and intoning the dismissal.
The Archdiocese of Chicago has the largest diaconate in the entire Catholic Church with over 600 deacons.
NEW DEACONS AND THEIR HOME PARISHES
Miguel B. Alandy, St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish, 22333 West
Erhart Road, Mundelein.
Dennis M. Cristofaro, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 9300 West 167th
Street, Orland Hills.
Peter Hajdu, St. Emily Parish, 1400 East Central Road, Mount Prospect.
John E. Herbert and Joseph Tony B. Valdez, St. Martha Parish, 8523
Georgiana Avenue, Morton Grove.
William J. Hynes, St. Sabina Parish, 1210 West 78th Place, Chicago.
Christopher M. Murphy, St. Nicholas Parish, 806 Ridge Avenue,
Evanston.
George K. Webster, St. Raphael the Archangel Parish, 40000 North U.S.
Hwy 45, Old Mill Creek.
More information about the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Institute for Diaconal Studies can be found at the University of Saint Mary of the
Lake / Mundelein Seminary’s website, www.usml.edu.