Mangalore, Jun 5: "Chosen from among men appointed to act on behalf of men" (Heb 5:1) Responding to the call of God, the 13 young men were ordained deacons on 5th June 2013 at St Joseph's Interdiocesan Seminary, Jeppu, Mangalore. Among the thirteen deacons, three belong to the diocese of Mangalore, two to Calicut, two to Udupi, one to Jashpur and five to the Congregation of OCD (Carmelites). Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha Bishop of Mangalore, presided over the Holy Eucharist and ordained the ordinandis as deacons. Rev. Fr Ronald Serrao, the Rector of the Seminary, called out the names of the ordinandis to be ordained by the Bishop as Deacons. In His Homily, His Excellency instructed the candidates with the Word of God spelled out the role of a deacon in the Church. He called all the ordinandis to do the will of God generously and to serve God and mankind with love and joy. Addressing the deacons Bishop expressed, "You are the ministers of the Word of God and you have to express in action what you proclaim by word of mouth" "Go into the entire world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation" (Mk 16: 15). Later, the aspirants pledged to lead a life of celibacy and obedience. After the litany of the saints, the ceremony proceeded with the most important rite of the ordination, which is laying on of hands on the ordinandis by the Bishop. The rite succeeded in the investiture of the deacons with the stole and dalmatics. Afterwards the Bishop gave them the Book of Gospels saying, "Believe what you read, preach what you believe and practice what you preach" The ritual ended with the kiss of peace. The Holy Eucharist was followed by the felicitation to the newly ordained Deacons. Priests, Religious Sisters, Seminarians, Parents, Friends and Relatives of the deacons witnessed the celebration with their presence. The beauty of the Eucharistic celebration was enhanced by the prayerful Liturgy and Cecilian Choir under the leadership of Rev. Fr Naveen Pinto. The participants experienced the presence of Divine love and grace in the celebration The newly ordained deacons are: Dn. Anthony Stephen, OCD Dn. John Clifford Rodrigues,OCD Dn. Pranam Jovin Fernandes, OCD Dn. Santhosh Menezes, OCD Dn. Siltan Philip Noronha, OCD Dn. Vipin Kumar Tigga, Jashpur Dn. Lanson Maxim Pinto, Mangalore Dn. Norman John Mathias, Mangalore Dn. Pradeep Clarence Rodrigues, Mangalore Dn. Rikson Monteiro, Udupi Dn. Stephan Rodrigues, Udupi Dn. Shanto Anthony, Calicut Dn. Shijoy Francis, Calicut