Today, Archbishop Robert G. Casey ordained five men transitional deacons for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati: Deacons Luke Danis, Bao Duong, Zachary Jarrell, David Morand, and Alex Parra. This morning’s ordination marks an important step toward the priesthood for these men. They will serve as deacons for the next year, continuing their discernment and formation, before their priesthood ordination in May 2027. 

While the transitional diaconate may sound like a temporary ministry, these men will always be deacons. Their role as deacon will, God willing, be subsumed by priestly ordination next year, but the diaconate ordination will not—and cannot—be undone. Deacon Danis explained the necessity of this step in his vocation, “The priest is the one that offers the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist and helps people in overcoming their sins, both in confession and spiritual direction. He’s the shepherd. But in order to be a shepherd, in order to lead, one has to be able to serve.”

Today, these five men gave a  generous yes to God’s call in their lives. “At the very foundation of Holy Orders is service,” Deacon Duong explained, “It feels like God’s been calling me to serve His Church, to give my life, and to be an instrument of God’s love for His people.”

Each man understands clearly that the cost of his “yes” is his whole life. Despite this, the look on each man’s face was one of joy, not fear. “Literally everything is being asked of me and as scary as that can be, there’s also a lot of peace that comes with just being able to lay it all down and see where the Lord takes it,” said Deacon Morand. 

Deacon Danis echoed this message of total surrender, “I am staying yes to God’s will for me, yes to the Church, and yes to something bigger than myself. There are beautiful, wonderful things in this world and I rejoice that those exist, but I’m saying no to those things so that I can say yes to the things of Heaven and help other people on their way to those things of Heaven.”

The word “diaconate” is derived from the Greek word diákonos, meaning servant. The deacon, therefore, plays an essential role of service in the life of the Church. Deacon Morand explained that in his calling to give of himself, he believes he will also find himself. “We’ve still got our strongholds of selfishness and areas that need to be purified and transfigured, and that’s always going to be the case. But like Pope St. John Paul II said, ‘Man finds himself through a supreme gift of self.’ I’m hoping through the service of the diaconate and the supreme gift of self that I find myself and learn how to love others well.” 

Deacon Jarrell reiterated this desire for continued learning. “Learning, first of all, to be Christ’s servant. He came to serve, not to be served. I’ll be learning to do that before anything else. The priest is still a deacon, and so he’s still configured to Christ as servant.”

“I think of the Last Supper,” Deacon Parra explained, “how Jesus washed the Apostles’ feet before instituting the Eucharist. And so that’s where we start. By following His example, imitating Him, and serving others.”

While four of the newly ordained men will return to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary for a year of study, Deacon Parra will spend the next year ministering off campus. “I get the opportunity to be a deacon for the entire year in a parish and I’m really looking forward to serving at Mass, preaching, baptizing, helping with funerals, and weddings—all the different things that I can do.”

Archbishop Casey sent the new deacons off with hopeful anticipation. He said: “We trust that this ministry will bring you joy and fulfillment, and we pray that it may also assist in bringing joy and fulfillment to the many children of God that you have been called to serve.”