Vatican City, Oct 4, 2012 / 15:25 pm
Thirty-three new deacons from Rome's North American College were ordained Oct. 4 at a ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, bringing both excitement and joy to the men.
"This is really a wonderful day for the Church and certainly for the College, too, and for myself," said college rector, Monsignor James F. Checchio in remarks to CNA after the ordinations.
"The men who laid down their lives in service of the Church today are good men, men who have prepared themselves well by coming to know Christ well and serving him and his people," Msgr. Checchio added.
The nearly three-hour ceremony at the basilica's Altar of the Chair was presided over by Archbishop John F. Myers of Newark. The ordinations coincided with the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, who was ordained deacon but never a priest. All but one of the deacons comes from an American diocese, while another ordinand hails from the Archdiocese of Sydney in Australia.