Bishop Checchio ordains four men to transitional diaconate

METUCHEN — “This is not the day we envisioned, the way we envisioned, but we can be sure the Holy Spirit is with us,” declared Bishop James F. Checchio during the Mass of the Rite of Ordination of Deacons in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi July 25. “It is a day of grace in the diocese.”

Rescheduled for the Feast of St. James, the Mass was no less joyful despite the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic. Family and friends joined clergy intent on witnessing four men take another step toward the priesthood. They sat masked and six feet apart throughout the cathedral as Jun Joseph Querubin Alquiros; Ariel Robles Bautista Jr.; Timothy Mark Eck II, and Gregory Joseph Zannetti prepared to take on the mantle of service to the faithful in the diocese.

After one more year of formation in their respective seminaries, the four will be ordained to the priesthood for the diocese in the spring.

During the Rite of Ordination, the four candidates were called into the sanctuary to take a public step towards a life of service in the Church. Father Mauricio Tabera-Vasquez, diocesan director, diocesan Office of Vocations, certified all were ready for this momentous step as resounding applause echoed throughout the cathedral.

In his homily, Bishop Checchio said, “Brothers, don’t ever lose the foundation of your call.” Reminding the men that they were among the spiritual descendants of Christ’s 12 apostles, the bishop continued, “You four brothers — Ariel, Greg, Jay, Tim — have similarly been called by Jesus to be with him.

“The apostles were chosen in an act of love,” he continued. “It was only after their time together that Jesus sent them forth to preach the Gospel. Spend time with Jesus and learn about him through your prayer, your studies, your apostolic service, your communal life. That foundation will properly feed you through the rest of your life with Jesus.”

Along with fellow disciples Peter and John, St. James witnessed first-hand many milestones in the life and ministry of Christ, including his transfiguration, agony in the garden and crucifixion, Bishop Checchio reminded the four.

“The Holy Spirit at Pentecost gave him the grace, courage and words he needed to preach the Gospel.  These gave him the fortitude to persevere in the face of challenges,” he said. “You, too, have been privileged, called and loved by our Lord to be with him.”

The needs of the current time seem unsurmountable, the bishop warned, but they cannot deter us if we stay grounded to Jesus. He told the new deacons, to accept Jesus’ call, they must leave behind pride and ambition, feelings of unworthiness, insecurities and trust that God’s mercy and love will always be present.

“Our people need to see you living the faith, being men of prayer, humble, obedient, chaste, celibate,” Bishop Checchio concluded. “The Holy Spirit gives you all you need to do so… Jesus promised to remain with us always. May your road to sainthood be guided only by him.”

Each man publicly resolved to discharge the office of deacon and show respect and obedience to Bishop Checchio and his successors, to which the bishop replied, “May God, who has begun the good work in you, bring it to fulfillment.” As a cantor led the congregation in a litany to the saints, the four ordinandi lay prostrate before the altar.

One by one, each man was invested with a stole and dalmatic, then Bishop Checchio presented them with a “Book of the Gospels” with the words, “Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.” The bishop embraced each in turn, then each stood in the cathedral’s center aisle to accept long-distance well-wishes from the all present.

Bishop Checchio noted the new deacons were among the 22 seminarians of the diocese studying for the priesthood, the most in the diocese for more than 26 years. Furthermore, he added, nine new men have enrolled to begin their seminary studies this year.