Mangalore: Twenty-four Ordained Deacons at St Joseph's Seminary
 
News & Pics: Nelson Ozmond Vaz 
for Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, Jun 13: Preparation-formation-churning out to be missionaries to work in the vineyard of the Lord... this arduous task is being joyfully undertaken by the regionally, nationally and internationally acclaimed St Joseph’s Seminary, Jeppu in the city. As it embarks on its 130th year with the thrust of missionary formation under the motto ‘Preaching Christ is our Mission, Kingdom of God is our Vision,’ it has the honour of letting the solemn event of ‘Diaconate’ to go down in the annals of its history.

On Thursday June 12, there were 24 Ordinandi to the diaconate, belonging to six dioceses and two religious congregations spread all over India and abroad. Among the 24 deacons, there were 10 who belonged to the Mangalore diocese: Dcns Gratian Prasanna Alvares, Santhosh Lobo, Vinod Lobo, Anil D’Souza, Sylvester Vincent Lobo, Roopesh Ashok Madtha, Ronald Pinto, Stephen D’Souza, Rohith D’Costa and Thomas Roshan D’Souza.

The somber diaconate ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of Calicut, Dr Joseph Kalathiparambil, along with the seminary staff and over a hundred priests to concelebrate in the octagonal chapel of the Jeppu seminary. Adding to this, there were about a thousand guests including the parents and relatives of the Ordinandi, the seminarians and the religious to grace the occasion.