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Five men ordained transitional deacons

Ashleigh Kassock | Catholic Herald

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge adorns the altar with incense during Mass at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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A cell phone records a moment during the deacon ordination at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael Burbidge presents the sign of peace to Deacon James F. Waalkes at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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The new deacons with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge are (from left) Deacon Edouard B. Guilloux, Deacon Sean T. Koehr, Deacon Christopher W. Nyce Jr., Deacon James F. Waalkes and Deacon Nicholas F. Blank. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Five new deacons stand with Bishop Emeritus Paul S. Loverde, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge and vocations director Fr. J.D. Jaffe (from left) Deacon Sean T. Koehr, Deacon James F. Waalkes, Deacon Christopher W. Nyce Jr., Deacon Edouard B. Guilloux and Deacon Nicholas F. Blank at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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The families of the five deacon candidates pray the rosary before the deacon ordination at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Hundreds watch from the pews of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington as five deacon candidates process into the cathedral before the Rite of Ordination June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Five deacon candidates are presented to Bishop Michael F. Burbidge for ordination (from left) Nicholas Blank, Sean Koehr, James Waalkes, Edouard Guilloux and Christopher Nyce Jr. at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael Burbidge lays hands on deacon candidate James Waalkes during the Rite of Ordination at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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The five deacon candidates lay prostrate in front of the altar during the litany of supplication at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Deacons present the sign of peace to the newly ordained and welcome them as fellow coworker in their shared ministry at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 2. JOE CASHWELL FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge ordained five seminarians to the
transitional diaconate June 2 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington,
the largest number of deacons he has ever ordained at one time as a Bishop.
Nicholas F. Blank, Edouard B. Guilloux, Sean T. Koehr, Christopher W. Nyce Jr.
and James F. Waalkes each professed their obedience and promised to serve in
the Office of Deacon to the best of their ability.

During the homily, Bishop Burbidge explained how in preparation
for the ordination he had been looking for imagery relating to the number five.
He was pleased to find that the famous restaurant franchise, Five Guys, was
founded in Arlington.

 

“Five guys is a colloquial way of speaking about the familiar,
the ordinary,” said Bishop Burbidge. “One might think what does this have to do
with an ordination? The reality is that our candidates, while aware of their
God-given gifts and abilities, would be the first to tell you they are very
ordinary men, with limitations and weaknesses. But, they came to believe in the
promise God made to Jeremiah, ‘Have no fear because I am with you to deliver
you.’ Thus, these five ordinary men will soon say: ‘Present … here I am Lord.’

 

He encouraged the candidates to the diaconate to teach the truth,
serve in love and give special priority to homily preparation.

 

“You are to preach his Good News in all its beauty and without
compromise so that his holy people discover the peace and freedom that only
Christ can give. In the process, always remember the sound guidance of St.
Peter in our second reading, ‘Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of
God.’ To fulfill this mandate, I strongly encourage you, dear candidates, to
make sure that your homily preparation is one of your highest priorities giving
it the prayer, time and study it requires.”

 

Bishop Burbidge laid hands on each of the candidates during the
Rite of Ordination, conferring upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The new
deacons were vested with the stole and dalmatic, which signify their
ministerial role in the celebration of the Eucharist. As deacons they will
assist the Bishop and the diocese’s priests in the ministry of the word, of the
altar and of charity.

They were vested by priests and deacons who have been
instrumental during their vocational journey. Deacon Scott A. Ross vested
Deacon Blank; Father Paul M. Eversole, pastor at St. Matthew Church in
Spotsylvania, vested Deacon Guilloux;
Father Brian P. Kane, dean of men at the Theological Seminary at St. Charles
Borromeo
Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa., vested Deacon Koehr; Deacon Paul Ochenkowski vested
Deacon Nyce; and Msgr. Andrew J. Cassin, assisting priest at St. Francis of
Assisi Church in Staunton, vested Deacon Waalkes.

 

Msgr. Cassin has known Deacon Waalkes since grade school and was
honored to have been asked to participate in the ordination.

 

“I find him to be a very sincere fellow,” said Msgr. Cassin. “He
has come a long way in his religious discernment. I think he has all the
dedication to be a good priest.”

 

All eight of Deacon Blank’s siblings were in attendance as well
as his parents Richard and Monica Blank, who watched as their son kneeled
before Bishop Burbidge holding the Book of the Gospels.

 

“We are very proud of Nicholas,” said Monica. “We have watched
him through the years try and know God’s will and to see him follow it is
awesome. He is such a joyful person. He seems to be able to connect with anyone
whatever the situation. It’s a really good (ability) for a deacon and future
priest to have.”

 

After Mass, the newly ordained deacons processed out of the
cathedral ready to serve the diocese.

 

“It is truly a blessing not only for these five men and their
families, but also for the whole diocese,” said Father J.D. Jaffe, diocesan
vocations director. “We are blessed to have such talented and relatable men
willing to generously serve Christ and his people.”

 Buy photos from the Diaconate Ordination at catholicherald.smugmug.com.

 

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