FACEBOOK @FLORIDACATHOLIC May 1-7, 2020
FLORIDA Catholic
OR NDO DIOCESE
GLENDA MEEKINS
of the Florida Catholic staff
BOYNTON BEACH "You are 13 shining rays of light for us in the midst of the current darkness. You give us great hope in these chal- lenging times," said Msgr. David Toups, rector and president of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, April 25, 2020. The day was not what was imag- ined for the 13 men from dioceses throughout Florida ordained to the Order of Presbyter, or deacons. No family was physically present. They would not head to home parishes to celebrate with parishioners. Their 30-day Ignatian retreat would have to wait. Among the ordinandi were three seminarians from the Diocese of Orlando - Roberto Marquez of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Cler- mont, Nathanael Soliven of St. Jo- seph Parish in Lakeland, and Fran- cisco Ojeda from Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Deltona. I just never thought it would be this way. - The world definitely has changed in the last few months. It's a different set of circumstances we're living in," said Deacon Soliven of the ordination just two days ear- lier. "I have accepted it and am at peace with it." What gives the newly ordained deacon comfort and assurance is St. Teresa of Avila's famous poem - " Nada Te Turbe (Let Nothing Disturb You). The poem's message ran as an undercurrent throughout the Ordination liturgy. "Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you. - God never changes. ... He who has God finds he lacks nothing. God alone suffices." Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami called to mind the unique events that surrounded this Ordi- nation. As deacons ordained during this twin crisis of the coronavirus pan- demic and a global economic disas- ter, you will exercise your pastoral ministry as a new and yet uncertain normal' emergence - one that will most likely still involve continued social distancing, self-isolation for the vulnerable and possibly contin- ued contagion that will sicken and kill. Also, an increase in poverty and the ills associated with it," he said. "Neither you nor I were pre- pared for such a new normal. This pandemic is teaching us that we are not in charge of our lives as we sometimes pretend to be." He said he hoped the experience had made everyone more humble and "more receptive to God's grace - for only humility makes it pos- sible for us to respond to God's will as Mary did." It is with that humbleness of heart that the seminarians ap- proached the extraordinary day. "I know that it's a way for me to really be in solidarity to the world which I am going to serve as a deacon," Deacon Soliven said. "This little change of plans, where the family cannot come, is a little sacrifice. I know a lot of people are suffering in different ways - economically, sick family members, in this pandemic. This is my sacrifice and way of be- ing one with the people." Of the three Diocese of Orlan- do seminarians, Deacon Soliven awaited the day the longest - 13 years, since he entered the semi- nary at age 12 in the Philippines. For me, during all these chang- es, the prayer of St. Teresa of Avila, just keeps coming back," he said. Again and again, the Lord is say- ing, ' Nada te turbe. Nada te espante. Solo Dios basta (Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. God suffices).'" Deacon Ojeda had a similar ex- perience. "When I learned about it (that family would be unable to at- tend), I had mixed feeling. It's been six years preparing for the priest- hood." He said he had to let go of expectations. "It was humbling. It reminds me I need to rely more on Jesus and trust His plan instead of mine. It's been a constant reminder to trust in Him- knowing that is what He wants at this moment." He would later comment, "Even though the chapel 'seemed' empty without family and friends, it was not. You could feel everyone pray- ing with you." It was when he was at his lowest, one year in college, that Ojeda felt God tug at his heart. His father had been a seminarian, so the idea was now new, but this was different. "It was when I felt the lowest that Lord loved me the most," he said. "I real- ized that wherever I went, He would be with me to guide, protect and love me. That love was inspiring to serve Him in any way." That love continues to carry him. Even as he looks ahead, he is uncertain of what the future may bring. Archbishop Wenski noted in his homily, "You are ordained to be a
Seminarians Francisco Ojeda of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Deltona, Nathanael Soliven of St. Joseph Parish in Lakeland, and Roberto Marquez of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Clermont are ordained to the transitional diaconate, April 25, 2020, at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. The three men will serve at a local parish in the Diocese of Palm Beach over the summer and ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Orlando May 2021. (ZIEMOWIT JANASZEK COURTESY PHOTOS) Archbishop Thomas Wenski ordains 13 men from the Dioceses of Orlando, St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, Palm Beach, Pensacola- Tallahassee and the Archdiocese of Miami to the diaconate. These men will be ordained in their dioceses next year.
St. Teresa of Avila strengthens ordinands
companied a male choir singing Veni Sancte Spiritus as the ordinan- di came forward, three at a time. Irrepressible joy showed. in their faces as the priests approached to clothe the new deacons in their vestments - a red stole and dalmatic - outward signs of their new mission of service. They then received the Book of Gospels from the archbish- op, who said, "Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have be- come. Believe what you read. Teach what you believe and practice what you teach." During the post-Communion meditation, Orlando seminarian Alex Feliciano sang St. Teresa of Avila's poem. As Deacon Soliven prayed, he wiped tears from his eyes. He said, "I just felt the Lord talking to me and assuring me, not only in these uncertain times, but also in my life now, as an ordained minister: 'Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. As long as you have me, you will lack nothing. I alone suffice."
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sign and instrument of Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve." He explained the word diaconia means service - service of the Word, of the Eucharist, and of the poor. Deacon Marquez looks forward to fulfilling them. The eldest of the three, he came to his vocation late in life in his mid-40s. "This is it. You're getting committed. Priest- hood is what comes after, but we really shouldn't be seeing this as a step," he said. "We need to take ad- vantage and appreciate what this year as deacons has to offer us and learn from it. We need to experience it, with God's help. Let's take advan- tage of this moment and this time." Before entering the seminary, he said he always thought of the past and the future. Now he has learned to live for today and nourish and embrace experiences in his min- istry, such as the first wedding he would celebrate and the first bap- tism. It was as a teacher of faith for- mation at Blessed Sacrament Parish that he became keenly aware of his desire to be a priest. "Working with the adults and youth, listening to their stories and sharing my stories and experiences and faith in Christ, was an important part in the pro- cess," he said. During the Mass, the gentle strumming of a single guitar ac-
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