As transitional Deacon Nicholas Vance helped his father, Christopher Vance, 58, put on the deacon’s stole and dalmatic vestment during his father’s ordination to the permanent diaconate on Dec. 9 at the Cathedral of St. Paul, the junior Vance thought about how his father helped him get dressed when he was growing up.
“And so, it only seemed appropriate that I accidentally messed it up and had him try to put his arm through the (vestment) head hole,” laughed the younger Deacon Vance, who is preparing for priestly ordination for the archdiocese next spring.
Deacon Christopher Vance, a member of Transfiguration in Oakdale, wasn’t perturbed by the slightly awkward moment but instead felt “an incredible amount of profound peace,” while focusing on the altar where he looks forward to serving as a deacon.
“What a joy it has been, for as my wife (Leila) would say, the Lord, the great architect, has architected this encounter and this path that Nick and I happen to be on during the same year. So, all glory be to God.”
A total of 18 men were ordained to the permanent diaconate on Dec. 9 by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Williams — the largest class since 1978.
As the new deacons fully assume their three-fold diaconate ministry of service to the Word, altar and works of charity, they bring the number of archdiocesan deacons to 178. At the same time, formation leaders say the ministry is gaining the interest of more men.
More than 50 ordained deacons and over 50 priests, along with Bishop Emeritus Richard Pates and Auxiliary Bishop Michael Izen, were present at the ordination as Bishop Williams encouraged the ordinands to be set apart for their ministry of serving, preaching and offering charity in the archdiocese.
“The opportunity for ministry is infinite,” he said, adding that their service as deacons will come out of their life and prayer. “Live your life and pray the (Liturgy of the Hours).”
About 2,100 family members and friends offered support for the new deacons at the Mass on the feast day of St. Juan Diego, a Mexican layman to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in 1531, resulting in millions of Mexicans converting to Christianity and beginning the Church’s devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Like St. Juan Diego, Bishop Williams said, the ordinands heard a call and said, “yes.”
In the archdiocese, responding to the diaconate call involves serving in a parish at the altar and in other ways, said Deacon Eric Cooley, director of the Institute for Diaconate Formation at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul. Deacons may have assignments working with youth, the sick, the incarcerated or may carry out other works of mercy, he said.
This year’s ordinands completed five years of formation. Future classes will have an additional half year of formation to follow new norms, Deacon Cooley said.
Seven men were ordained in 2021, just under the archdiocese’s average of nine ordinands. At the next ordination in 2026 as many as 15 men may be ordained, he said.
Before their admission as candidates for holy orders, the men participate with their wives in an aspirancy or “propaedeutic” year of discernment covering topics including philosophy, the human person and temperaments, Deacon Cooley said. Wives also have ongoing formation on developing a joint ministry with their husband and other subjects, he said.
Dawn Spencer, 61, and her husband, Deacon Patrick Spencer, 63, members of St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park, experienced much growth during formation, she said, noting that their five children and 16 grandchildren attended the ordination.
Dawn Spencer said she felt overwhelmed while escorting her husband to the altar for ordination, but proud and peaceful during the rest of the ordination rite and liturgy.
Deacon Spencer said being ordained was humbling.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “God’s love is unending for every person, every man, woman and child, for your family. And he certainly manifested that today throughout the celebration.”
Transitional Deacon Nicholas Vance said ordination is an “amazing gift” given to him and his father.
“Just in that moment, all the times that I’ve had to vest for Mass, and I get to be there for the first time (his father) does,” Deacon Nicholas Vance said. “God’s choice and God’s gifts are so amazing and so strange and unexpected.”
Bill and Joan Goergen attended the ordination to support their friend, Deacon Greg Schultz. “We’re thrilled for him for this next chapter in his life, how he is going to help people and serve people and support people spiritually and in the Catholic Church himself,” said Joan Goergen, 67, who attends Faith Lutheran Church in Waconia.
Deacon Schultz, 58, will serve at his home parish, St. Hubert in Chanhassen, while his classmates serve in theirs, allowing them to start parish ministry in a familiar place before receiving more permanent assignments next summer, Deacon Cooley said.
Gary Noel, 57, who with his wife and daughter came to support Deacon Frank Pavlick, has already seen his friend and fellow parishioner at St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi start a father’s group.
Deacon Pavlick‘s large diaconate class along with a sizable upcoming priestly ordination class offer hope for the Church in a dark time, Noel said. “I just hope that’s an example of how the Church kind of rebounds,” he said. “When things look dark on the outside, that’s not always the case on the inside.”
The new deacons’ average age is 55, but more men in their 30s and 40s are attending diaconate inquiry meetings, which are held periodically in the archdiocese, even if they aren’t ready to pursue it, Deacon Cooley said.
There’s no “right time” to pursue the diaconate, he said. Deacons “talk about ways they’ve had to learn to integrate this vocation into already full lives but that the Holy Spirit is the one that arranges things.”
The Church has gained laborers for the harvest of souls in the archdiocese, said Bishop Williams near the close of the ordination Mass.
“The laborers are less scarce today,” he said. “As of this ordination, Jesus has more laborers for his kingdom.”
Editor’s note: Go to The Catholic Spirit Facebook page for a photo gallery of the ordination. Read the faith journeys and other details about each of the 18 deacons.
