Cardinal Wuerl Ordains 25 Permanent Deacons for the Archdiocese of Washington
June 22, 2013
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, ordained twenty-five men as permanent deacons for the Archdiocese of Washington at a Mass of Ordination on Saturday, June 22 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The new deacons come from a variety of backgrounds, and include a statistician with the federal government, a current and a former professor, a retired army colonel, an attorney for the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a consumer loan manager at a financial institution, and a former pilot in the United States Air Force.
The men completed almost five years of theological study and prayer in preparation for ordination, while working in full-time jobs. Deacons are ordained for a ministry that reflects three aspects: the Word, the altar and charity. The new deacons will now assist pastors throughout the archdiocese in preaching the Gospel, distributing the Eucharist, blessing marriages, baptizing and presiding at funerals, and be engaged in ministries of charity and social justice, assisting those in need. An ancient role in the Catholic Church, the permanent diaconate fell out of use after the fifth century, but was restored in the late 1960’s after the Second Vatican Council.
During their ordination, the men made a promise of obedience to the archbishop and to his successors, and received a stole, worn over the left shoulder to symbolize that the right arm is always free to help others; a vestment called a dalmatic; and the book of the Gospels, a sign that they are to proclaim the word of God. Deacons may be married when ordained but those who are not married take a vow of celibacy.
Brief biographies are below:
Chuck Bieberich is a member of St. Peter’s Parish in Olney, MD. He and his wife, Beth, have two sons and two daughters. Chuck is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland Baltimore County where he teaches and does cancer research. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and has served as altar server coordinator, catechist, and on the parish and archdiocesan pastoral councils.
Patrick Brown is a member of St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, MD. Patrick is married to Angela Brown. Patrick is involved in several parish ministries, including the St. Vincent de Paul Society and marriage preparation, as well as serving as a lector and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Patrick is an insurance broker with C.J. Brown & Son Insurance Agency, specializing in employee benefit and business insurance.
Thaddeus “Ted” Dmuchowski has been a member of Mother Seton Parish in Germantown, MD since 1991. Ted, with Sophie, his wife of 33 years, and their three sons. Ted is a retired Army Colonel and currently works Information Technology Plans, Programs, and Policies for the Army National Guard as a civilian employee. In his parish, Ted has been a member of the parish council, a catechist for RCIA, a lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and an usher. He is a 4th Degree Sir Knight, Past Faithful Navigator of the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Assembly and a member of the Father McKenna Council of the Knights of Columbus.
Jim Caldwell is a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Prince Frederick, MD. He has been married to his wife Ginger for 35 years. He formerly worked for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and retired after 31 years. Jim is involved in a number of parish ministries, including RCIA, assisting with the preparation of parish youth for confirmation, serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, leading prayer services at the local treatment center, and visiting the sick at home and at the nursing home.
Moise DeVillier is a member of Our Lady, Star of the Sea Parish in Solomons, MD. He is a widower with five adult children. Moise supports a number of parish activities, including the Charity and Justice Committee, the parish finance council, and the Arimathean ministry, and is also a catechist and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. He is a retired aerospace engineer; he worked for the Department of the Navy for 37 years.
Daniel Ford is a member of Saint Mary’s Parish in Bryantown, MD. Daniel and his wife, Marie, have been blessed with one son. Daniel has served the country as a military service member and federal employee for 34 years. He has been involved in a number of parish ministries, including serving as sacristan, lector and catechist as well as community activities associated with Health Partners Inc., Catholic Charities, the Knights of Columbus and the Charles County Detention Center.
James Anthony Garcia is a parishioner of St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, DC. He and his wife, Christine, celebrated their wedding at St. Matthew’s in 2004. Originally from Seattle, WA, James – along with his twin brother, Jon – grew up in the Diocese of Orange in California. James moved to the DC area after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley and from the Yale Law School. He works as a senior trial attorney at the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Since joining St. Matthew’s in 1999, James has been active in a number of liturgical ministries and served as secretary of the parish pastoral council.
Anton (Andy) J. Geisz is a member of St. Aloysius Gonzaga in Leonardtown, MD. He has been married to Mary Jo Geisz for seven years and has 5 children. Andy is currently the President of Engineering and IT for Bowhead Science and Technology, a defense service provider. At St. Aloysius, he currently serves the parish as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, a lector, member of the children’s liturgy team, and is a former member of the parish pastoral council.
Carlos Hernandez is a member of Holy Cross Parish in Garrett Park, MD and of Saint Elizabeth’s in Rockville, MD. Carlos, and his wife, Josie, have three sons. Carlos is the Human Resources Director for Ridgewells Catering. Carlos has been actively involved in a number of parish ministries, including being a lector, assisting at liturgies, visiting the sick, and helping provide pastoral care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Alan Jeeves is from St. Catherine Labouré in Wheaton, MD. He and his wife Carmen, have four children and 4 grandchildren. Alan is a statistician with the federal government. He is also a guitarist for the St. Catherine Labouré Contemporary Ensemble, and assists in prison ministry at the Howard County Jail.
Bill Maksymiec and his wife Lee, are members of Annunciation Parish in Washington, DC. Bill is the consumer loan manager at Colombo Bank. Bill has been involved in many parish ministries including serving as a lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and a member of the parish pastoral council.
Ed McCormack is a member of St. John the Baptist in Silver Spring, MD. He is married to Marianela Peralta who is an attorney, and they have two daughters. Ed serves the parish as a lector and acolyte and is a theologian specializing in Ignatian Spirituality. He offers the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola to fellow parishioners. Until recently, he was teaching as an associate professor at Washington Theological Union.
Joe Mills is a parishioner of St. John Vianney in Prince Frederick, MD. Joe and his wife, Patty, have four grown children. Joe works for the Department of Defense at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Joe is involved in a number of parish ministries, including the parish choir, serving as a lector and as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. He is a fourth degree Knight of Columbus.
Tom Molineaux is a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Upper Marlboro, MD. He and his wife, Vanessa, live in Bowie and have a daughter and three sons. Tom is retired from the Prince George’s County Public Schools. He is a long-time member of the Washington Cursillo Movement, a volunteer at SOME and Gift of Peace (Missionaries of Charity), and has been involved in many parish ministries.
Eric Mueller and his wife, Susan, and their three children are members of Jesus the Good Shepherd in Owings, MD. Eric is an active member of his local Knights Council and is involved in a number of parish ministries, including serving as a sacristan, lector and catechist and is also involved with the RCIA program. Eric is involved in many local school and youth recreation leagues as coach and mentor. He is currently employed by Pinnacle Wireless as Mid-Atlantic Director of Technical Services.
Steve O’Neill is a member of St. Peter’s Parish in Olney, MD. He and his wife, Traci, have two sons and two daughters. Steve is the chief of the regulatory staff for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Steve has served at St. Peter’s as a lector, catechist, and acolyte.
Rafael (Ralf) Pagán is a member of St. Francis of Assisi in Derwood, MD. Rafael and his wife, Maureen, have four grown children (two daughters, two sons). Ralf has been a co-owner of Rockville Window & Door Co since 1979. Ralf has been a member of the choir and a cantor since 1985 and a member of the parish hospitality committee, Haiti Medical Mission committee, bingo team, Spirit Tree team and past member and chairperson of the parish pastoral council. In 2005 Rafael and Maureen were recipients of the Archdiocese of Washington’s Order of Merit.
Mauricio O. Rivas has been a parishioner of Mother Seton in Germantown, MD since 1988. Mauricio is married to Ivania Medrano and they have four children. He is involved in the ministries of baptism preparation, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and serves as the catechist and coordinator for the RCIA (English and Spanish), member of the Knights of Columbus, and is chairman of the parish council. Mauricio is a former diplomat from Nicaragua. Currently, he is a consultant in engineering and management.
Paul Schmitt is a parishioner at St Peter’s Parish in Olney, MD. He and his wife, Andrea, met at the parish and have been married thirty years and have five children. He is a VP of Member Service at Signal Financial FCU where he has worked since 1994. Paul has been heavily involved in the parish music ministry as a choir member, cantor, and director, as well as the religious education and youth ministry programs at the parish.
Leo Schneider is a parishioner at St. John Neumann in Gaithersburg, MD. Leo has been the Technical Manager in computer application support for a government contract for the past ten years. Previously he worked for 19 years at one of the top 5 Fortune companies, followed by several dot-com ventures. Leo and his wife, Elaine, have been married for over 35 years and have two grown sons. They have been active members of St. John Neumann parish and the Mother of God Community for approximately ten years. Leo serves his parish as a lector, as well as sacristan, and he and Elaine are both Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
Bob Seith is a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Bowie, MD. Bob and his wife, Joni, have one daughter and three sons. Bob is an actuarial business analyst and programmer with Towers Watson & Co. Bob has served in the parish as a catechist, lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and a member of the evangelization committee.
Jim Shanahan is a member of Little Flower Parish in Bethesda, MD. Jim and his wife, Mary Lynn, have four sons. Jim is a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers specializing in the taxation of intellectual property. Jim is involved in a number of parish ministries, including serving as a sacristan, lector and catechist.
Robert W. Stout, III is a parishioner at St. Peter’s Parish in Olney, MD. Rob and his wife, Donna, have been married for 29 years and they have six children. For the last fourteen years, Rob has worked for SAIC in a variety of management and senior staff positions. Rob has taught in the religious education program, and has been on the parish and finance councils, as well as served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Rob has presented a number of parish adult education programs including The Shroud of Turin and Bible Timeline.
Jim Tittinger is a parishioner at Jesus the Divine Word in Huntingtown, MD. He and his wife, Renee, have been married 27 years and have four children. At the parish, Jim is involved in RCIA and mission work, and is also a lector. Jim was a pilot in the United States Air Force for 20 years and is currently employed as a defense contractor.
Robert Johnston Vince is a member of Little Flower Parish in Bethesda, MD. Bob and his wife, Charmie, have two daughters and one son. Bob is currently working in the Pentagon. Bob has been involved in a number of parish ministries, including parish council, Boy Scouts, RCIA and bible studies and has also served as sacristan and lector.
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The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 97 Catholic schools in Washington, DC, and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.
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