Diocesan seminarian among those ordained to transitional diaconate

BOCA RATON  |  Presiding at the ordination of 14 transitional deacons March 29, 2025, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said it was “a blessed day for the church here in Florida.”

Eight of the deacon candidates were from his archdiocese, four from the Diocese of St. Augustine, one from the Diocese of Palm Beach and one, 32-year-old Sinclair Cushmore, from the Diocese of Orlando.

Joining the archbishop for the liturgy at St. Joan of Arc Church in Boca Raton were many priests, deacons and lay faithful, along with Bishop Erik T. Pohlmeier of St. Augustine; Nicaraguan Bishop Silvio José Báez, who teaches at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach; Bishop-designate Gregg M. Caggianelli, who served as seminary vice rector before recently being named auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA; and retired Bishop Fernando Isern of the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, who now lives in Miami but studied at St. Vincent de Paul and St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami. 

Archbishop Wenski’s opening prayer set the tone for the ordination: “O, God, you have taught the ministers of your church to seek not to be served but to serve their brothers and sisters. Grant we pray that these your servants, whom you graciously choose today for the office of deacon, may be effective in action, gentle in ministry and constant in prayer.” 

After the men were called forth during the ceremony, Father Alfredo Hernández, rector/president of St. Vincent de Paul Seminary, declared them prepared and worthy to take on the role of deacon. In his homily, Archbishop Wenski explained the multifaceted service of a deacon.

“These men are ordained as transitional deacons as opposed to the married men who are ordained for the permanent diaconate. They hope, with the help of God’s grace, to be called to the presbyterate and to be an ordained priest, hopefully next year,” he said.

The archbishop continued: “Pope St. John Paul II spoke about the diaconate as the ‘sacramentalizing service in the church.’ The old Baltimore Catechism, which is still valid, said that sacraments are ‘outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace.’ So, deacons, both permanent and transitional, are to be visible and effective signs of service, or charity. As deacons, you are ministers of Jesus Christ, who came as one who served and stooped to wash the feet of his disciples. So, follow his example. Seek to do the Lord’s will in all things. Do it from the heart, and not begrudgingly. As a helper of the bishop, to whom you owe respect and obedience, serve God’s people as would the Lord himself, with love and joy.”

He told the men that, “By your faithful service to the Gospel and its integrity without compromise, without accommodation, hesitation or fear, you must help the world to discover that truth, the truth that has a human face, the truth that is a person — Jesus Christ.”

Archbishop Wenski concluded his homily with brief comments in Creole and Spanish. The deacon candidates then took vows of service, obedience, celibacy and prayer, promising to conform their lives to Christ. While the faithful sang a litany to the saints, the 14 men lay prostrate on the floor as a sign of humility, prayer and total abandonment.

After the imposition of hands and prayer of consecration, the new deacons donned the stole and dalmatic, the vestments that symbolize diaconal ministry. Deacon Cushmore was assisted by Father Mazen Mike Elias of the Diocese of St. Augustine.

At the end of the Mass, Father Hernández said the seminary community will continue to pray for the new deacons as they serve the church and journey toward priesthood. He thanked Father Nestor Rodriguez, pastor of St. Joan of Arc, for the use of its facilities every year for the diaconate ordination; the musical team; and Father Llane Briese, liturgy director and dean of pastoral formation at the seminary, for a beautiful celebration.

Father Hernández also expressed appreciation for Archbishop Wenski, the visiting bishops, and the formation staffs at the St. Vincent de Paul, Redemptoris Mater and St. John Vianney (both in Miami) seminaries.

“To all of the families and friends who are here and taking part by livestream, enjoy being with your newly ordained deacons this weekend,” Father Hernández said. “Keep on praying for them and for their brothers being ordained in the coming weeks and months in Raleigh, Savannah, Atlanta, Beaumont and in India. And pray for all our current deacons preparing to be ordained priests very soon. Our prayers, our support are the very best thing we can do for them.”

To watch the diaconate ordination Mass, visit www.svdp.edu/live and go to the seminary’s Facebook page.