Ordination of deacons, "a great manifestation of faith"

A few days before the Year of Faith concludes, Bishop Javier Echevarría conferred diaconal ordination on 30 faithful of Opus Dei. With words of the Prelate and photos from the ceremony.

Photos from the ordination ceremony

The ceremony on Saturday November 9 began at 4 pm in St. Eugene's Basilica in Rome. The new deacons come from 11 different countries: Spain, Colombia, Philippines, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Uganda, United Kingdom, Brazil, France and Uruguay.

The Prelate offered remarks on some of the key moments in the diaconal ordination: the imposition of hands and the prayer of consecration, the vesting with garments proper to the deacon (with the stole and dalmatica), the giving of the Gospel and the kiss of peace.

“We are taking part," he said, “in a great manifestation of faith. Each of these men, after having responded freely to God's call, is about to become Christ's minister, a servant of all men and women. The choice is a divine one.

“Jesus takes possession of each one of you, of your whole being, to make you living instruments of his sanctifying action. I understand your joy and emotion on becoming Christ's minister, since the gift you are going to receive is immense.

“You will be faithful to him, with God's help, if you watch over and nourish your spirit of prayer, fulfilling faithfully your duty to recite the Liturgy of the Hours, and striving to conform your life to Christ's, whose Body, from this moment on, you can distribute to the faithful in Communion."

And addressing the faithful who filled the Basilica (relatives and friends of the deacons and parishioners), he said: “Let us accompany the new ministers of our Lord with prayer and mortification. And let us beseech the Holy Spirit to send many priestly vocations to the Church."

The new deacons will be ordained priests on the upcoming 10th of May in the same Basilica.

The new deacons are:

Ángel María Tallón Avilés (Spain)

Alfonso Bailly-Baillière Torres-Pardo (Spain)

Marcos Javier Gaviola (Argentina)

Raúl Ruvalcaba Peña (Mexico)

Alfonso Izco Mutiloa (Spain)

José Verdiá Báguena (Spain)

Rafael Carlos de Mosteyrín Gordillo (Spain)

David Lázaro Blázquez (Spain)

Manuel Navarrete García (Spain)

Joaquín Rebolé Ruiz (Spain)

Jesús Gil Sáenz (Spain)

Dámaso Ángel Azagra Malo (Spain)

Ignasi Pujol Artigas (Spain)

Jesús Vidal Gil (Spain)

Paul Muller Aguirre (United Kingdom)

Miguel García Manglano (Spain)

Pedro Pablo Arriagada Irarrázaval (Chile)

Nicolás Massmann Bozzolo (Chile)

Víctor Abascal Rojo (Spain)

Manuel Ángel Villalobos Sánchez (Spain)

Santiago Villa Botero (Colombia)

Nicolás Vergara Correa (Chile)

Daniel Ricardo De Boni Argenta (Brazil)

Xavier Carbonell (France)

Héctor Tadeo López Limón (Mexico)

Carlos Andrés Varela Vega (Uruguay)

David Serrano-Calvillo Ramos (Spain)

Dennis Jao Yu (Philippines)

Dennis Rodgen Atienza Tolentino (Philippines)

Alex Mbonimpa (Uganda)