On
April 27, 2008, a joyful Mass on the Sixth Sunday
of Easter celebrated the ordination of six seminarians
of the Pontifical College Josephinum to the Diaconate. Robert
Bolding, Gabriel Hernández, and Fernando
Jiménez Mandujano (Diocese of Fort Wayne-South
Bend), and Thielo Ramirez, Jacob Runyon, and William
Schmid (Diocese of Phoenix), were ordained in Saint
Turibius Chapel by the Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted,
Bishop of Phoenix.
Bishop Olmsted, a former rector
of the Josephinum, was joined at the altar by priest-faculty
of the seminary and by visiting priests from the
deacon candidates’ respective
dioceses.
L-r: Deacon Jake Runyon (Fort Wayne-South
Bend), Deacon William Schmid (Phoenix), Rev. Msgr.
Nevin Klinger (Vice-Rector, School of Theology),
Deacon Thielo Ramirez (Phoenix), Bishop Thomas Olmsted
(Phoenix), Deacon Fernando Jimenez (Fort Wayne-South
Bend), Rev. Msgr. Paul Langsfeld (Rector / President),
Deacon Gabriel Hernandez (Fort Wayne-South
Bend), and Deacon Robert Bolding (Phoenix).
The ordination to the diaconate
traditionally takes place towards the end of the
seminarians’ third year
of graduate study and marks the final stages of preparation for the priesthood. The
deacons are authorized to baptize, proclaim the Gospel, preach, officiate at
weddings and funerals, administer sacramentals and care for the dying. Deacons
Bolding, Hernández, Jiménez,
Ramirez, Runyon, and Schmid will continue study at the Josephinum for the 2008-09
academic year, after which they will be ordained to the priesthood upon completion
of the Master of Divinity degree program.
