The Church witnessed a momentous occasion as Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha conferred diaconate ordination upon 23 seminarians at St Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary. The ceremony, held amidst joyous celebrations, marked a significant milestone in the spiritual journey of these young men as they prepare for the priesthood.

In his homily, the Bishop emphasized the importance of serving at the three tables as deacons: the Table of the Word, the Table of the Bread, and the Table of Charity. He urged the new deacons to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to service and expressed deep appreciation to their parents for the great sacrifice they had made for the Lord.

Following the Mass, the Rector extended his gratitude to the Bishop and all the priests and brothers who contributed to the success of the ceremony. Deacon Jeevan Lobo, speaking on behalf of the newly ordained, expressed heartfelt thanks to all their formators for their guidance throughout their formation. A celebratory meal was then shared by all attendees.

The Catholic Church rejoices at the ordination of 23 new deacons. Among them, 6 deacons belong to the Carmelite Congregation, 4 to the Diocese of Mangalore, 3 to the Diocese of Calicut, 2 to the Diocese of Itanagar, 2 to the Diocese of Trivandrum, 2 to the MSIJ Congregation, and one each to the dioceses of Jashpur, Neyyattinkara, Ambikapur, and Verapoly.

The Bishop of Mangalore, Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, celebrated the Mass and ordained the deacons. Among the concelebrants present were Fr Ravi Kumar, the Superior General of MSIJ congregation; Msgr Jenson Puthenveettil, the Vicar General of Calicut Diocese; Msgr Maxim Noronha, the Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese; Rev. Fr Ronald Serrao, the Rector of the Seminary, Fr Archibald Gonsalves, OCD, the Provincial Councillor of Karnataka-Goa Province; Fr Melvin D’Cunha, OCD, Superior of St. Joseph’s Monastery; along with other priests from Mangalore and surrounding dioceses. Family members, relatives, well-wishers, and brothers from the seminary were also present to witness this joyful event.