Articles
Recent news stories
Stories are listed in order from newest to oldest. More deacon links appear at the bottom of the page.
- ‘Christ’s hands in the world’: 16 men ordained permanent deacons, two as transitional deacons
- The enduring power of relationships between friends, wives and husbands and parents and children were deeply woven into the June 23 ordination of 16 men as permanent deacons and two men as transitional deacons at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. Appeared June 29, 2012
- Deacons take on leadership positions in archdiocese
- When Deacons Kerry Blandford and Michael East were ordained with their 23 classmates in 2008, they made history as the first class of permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. But now with three years of life and ministry as deacons under their belts, the two men have been assigned as leaders among deacons and deacon candidates in the archdiocese. Appeared August 5, 2011
- Deacon candidates declare their commitment to continue formation
- Seventeen deacon aspirants stepped forward to serve God and his people in the Church in central and southern Indiana during the Admission to Candidacy for the Diaconate Mass on Sept. 19 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. As Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein called their names, the deacon aspirants from 15 parishes lined up in front of the altar to pledge to continue their formation to serve the Lord in the ministry of charity. Appeared September 25, 2009
- One year later, deacons find joy, seek balance in ministry
- A little more than one year after their landmark ordination, three members of the first class of permanent deacons in the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis are finding joy in their life and ministry. Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein ordained 25 men as permanent deacons on June 28, 2008, at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis and one year later they are ministering in a broad variety of ways across central and southern Indiana. Appeared September 25, 2009
- New deacon aspirants come from varied backgrounds
- On Aug. 23, 18 men from across central and southern Indiana began their formation as the second class of archdiocesan deacon aspirants. Over the next four years, they will participate in the four dimensions of deacon formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. Appeared September 12, 2008
- New class of 18 men begin deacon formation program (Also: Photo gallery from the aspirant retreat)
- Less than two months after the ordination of the first class of permanent deacons in the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, a new group of 18 men started their four-year formation program to be the next class ordained.
The men and their wives participated in an Aug. 22-24 retreat at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis. Appeared September 5, 2008
- Deacon Ronald Stier was a role model for his fellow deacons
- Ordained on June 28 as a member of the first class of permanent deacons in the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Deacon Ronald Stier died on Aug. 24 after a nearly two-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 71.
He ministered at the Richmond Catholic Community parishes of Holy Family, St. Andrew and St. Mary, and at the Wayne County Jail. Appeared August 29, 2008
- History made as 25 men ordained permanent deacons
(Also: Photo galleries from the Mass: One | Two)
- History was made on June 28 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.
That day, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein ordained the first class of 25 permanent deacons in the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Appeared July 4, 2008
- Tracing the history of the diaconate
- In 2003, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, after consulting with archdiocesan priests and parish life coordinators, established the first archdiocesan deacon program, naming Benedictine Father Bede Cisco as its director.
Over the course of the next year, men interested in learning more about the diaconate attended information sessions held in parishes across central and southern Indiana. Appeared July 4, 2008
- Deacon Profiles
- Read the individual profiles of each of our 25 new deacons. Appeared March-June 2008
- Future deacons to extend Church’s reach into the community
- The first 25 men to be ordained as permanent deacons in the archdiocese will start ministering in their respective parishes soon after they are ordained in a historic liturgy on June 28 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. But there is another aspect of these men’s ministry that, at least initially, few of their fellow parishioners will see: most have been assigned by Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein to specific ministries of charity outside their parishes. Appeared June 27, 2008
- Column: New deacons will be committed to service (By Fr. Bede Cisco)
- For the past four years, I have been working with a dedicated group of men and their wives—the 25 men who will be ordained deacons at the end of June. They come from a variety of backgrounds, experience and careers. While they have often remarked how different they are, the common factor is their commitment to serve others. Appeared June 20, 2008
- Deacon candidates comfortable ministering in the workplace
- When you think of what men who have been ordained do, certain images usually come to mind: celebrating the sacraments, teaching the faith, listening to those who need help.
How about driving a semitrailer, making a sales call or working on a food processing plant floor?
Those are the jobs of three men who will be among the first group ordained as permanent deacons for the archdiocese on June 28 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. Appeared June 13, 2008
- Future deacons discuss being married and being ordained (Also: National Directory sheds light on deacons and marriage)
- Any person’s vocation is a thing of mystery.
The sometimes circuitous route by which God leads us to it and the often unpredictable ways in which he asks us to live it out from year to year are frequently beyond human reason.
If that’s the case when a person has one vocation, how much more is it when he is called to two? Appeared May 30, 2008
- Deacon candidate travels long road to ordination
- In his native Puerto Rico, deacon candidate Emilio Ferrer-Soto grew up worshipping at a church named after St. Patrick that had been built by his grandfather. After entering the U.S. Army in 1971, he went far away from his Caribbean home, serving for periods in Europe, Central America and South America. Appeared January 11, 2008
- Deacon candidates take important step toward ordination
- For the past three years, 25 men from across central and southern Indiana have dedicated themselves to a formation process that will culminate in their ordination next June 28 as the first group of permanent deacons in the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
On Sept. 15, these men and their families gathered at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis for a key step in their journey.
On that day, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein formally instituted the deacon candidates as acolytes. Appeared September 28, 2007
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- Deacon candidate Mike Gardner stood in the front of a classroom at Pope John XXIII School in Madison, fielding questions about the diaconate posed to him by the school’s eager third-graders.
Appeared January 12, 2007
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- The archdiocese’s current class of 25 deacon candidates has completed the second year of their formation and has two more years to go before being ordained in June 2008. But preparations for forming the next class of potential deacons are already under way. Appeared August 11, 2006
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- The archdiocesan deacon formation program is designed to help the 25 deacon candidates come to know the sacramental identity that they will take on if they are ultimately ordained.
According to the Holy See’s 1998 Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons, ordination to the diaconate conforms those ordained “to Christ who made himself the deacon, or servant, of all.”
Appeared January 20, 2006
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- The 25 archdiocesan deacon candidates are pioneers. In the history of the archdiocese, they are the first group of men in formation who will become permanent deacons.
Because of this, there are few models for them of what it means to be a deacon. The only ones in the archdiocese are deacons who have moved here and are now ministering in our local Church. Appeared January 13, 2006
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- The 25 men in the first archdiocesan deacon
formation program have made a significant
step forward in their preparation for ordination. Appeared September 23, 2005
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