ARTICLES

Two men to be ordained permanent deacons Jan. 15 and 16

Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo will ordain two new deacons the weekend of January 15-16, but the clergy-to-be already are well known servant leaders among the Catholic community in south central Virginia.

Devotion to pastoral ministry and attention to those most in need won’t change for Christopher Barrett and Dr. Richard Surrusco with ordination.

But what will change for those they serve is their added involvement in the ministry of the Word and sacrament.

Mr. Barrett, who has been senior pastoral associate at Resurrection Parish in Moneta for more than seven years, will be ordained there on Saturday, Jan. 15, at the regular 5:30 p.m. Mass.

Dr. Surrusco, a physician for almost 40 years, will be ordained by the bishop at his home parish of Our Lady of Nazareth in Roanoke at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Jan. 16.

There are currently 80 permanent deacons in the Diocese with an additional 64 men in formation.

Candidates for the priesthood are ordained as “transitional” deacons, a period which normally lasts about a year until ordination to the priesthood.

Another inquiry period into the diaconate will begin in February. Anyone interested in learning more about the program can contact Deacon Bob Ewan, associate director of the diocesan Office of the Vicar for Clergy at bewan@richmonddiocese.org.

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