Six transitional deacons to be ordained May 20

Archbishop William E. Lori will ordain six men transitional deacons during a 10 a.m. Mass May 20 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. Ordination to the transitional diaconate is the penultimate step toward ordination to the priesthood. The liturgy is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the YouTube page of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.

Get to know the men to be ordained in these capsule profiles:

Daniel John Andrades

Age: 29

Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan

Home or Sponsoring Parish: St. Joseph, Fullerton

Education: Karachi Grammar School, Karachi; St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi; Towson University, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg

Pastoral Assignments: St. Joseph, Cockeysville; Mother Seton School, Emmitsburg; St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Community, Ijamsville; St. Isaac Jogues, Carney; Church of the Nativity, Timonium.

Did you know? Andrades was pursuing a career in physical therapy and assisting at a cardiac rehabilitation facility before entering seminary. His favorite sport is rock climbing.

Andrés R. Ángel Acuña

Age: 36

Hometown: La Plata, Colombia

Home or Sponsoring Parish: St. Joseph, Cockeysville

Education: Misael Pastrana Borrero Elementary School, Cooperativo High School and Javeriana University of Bogotá

Pastoral Assignments: St. Joseph, Cockeysville; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Baynvesville; St. Joan of Arc, Aberdeen; St. Peter the Apostle, Libertytown; and St. John, Westminster

Did you know? Acuña spent time in a Benedictine monastery founded in Colombia by four American monks who came from Assumption Abbey in Richardton, N.D. His name is Andrés Ricardo, but he goes by his family name, Ángel.

Franz Josef Basalo Belleza

Age: 31

Hometown: Cebu City, Philippines

Home or Sponsoring Parish: Our Lady of Victory, Arbutus

Education: Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepción, Cebu; University of San Carlos, Cebu; Baltimore City Community College; Mater Redemptoris College, Laguna, Philippines; St. Peter’s College Seminary, Laguna; St. Monica Institute of Religious Studies, Cebu; Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg.

Pastoral Assignments: St. Mary of the Assumption, Govans, and St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge; St. John the Evangelist, Frederick, and St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor, Buckeystown; St. Martin’s Home for the Aged, Catonsville; Mount St. Mary’s University Campus Ministry, Emmitsburg

Did you know? Belleza was a member of the Oblate Apostles of the Two Hearts for several years before studying for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He has a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He enjoys watching action and crime drama movies and documentaries.

Michael Misulia

Age: 34

Hometown: Libertytown

Home or Sponsoring Parish: St. Peter the Apostle, Libertytown

Education: Homeschooled through highschool; University of Maryland College Park; Rush Medical College, Chicago; Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg; St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park

Pastoral Assignments: Holy Family, Davidsonville; Our Lady of Victory, Arbutus; Holy Family, Randallstown; Catholic Community of South Baltimore; St. Mark, Fallston; Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore

Did you know? Misulia worked in the operating and emergency rooms in various hospitals in Baltimore and Washington. He also worked at the PRS guitar factory and built electric guitars from scratch.

Click here for a Catholic Review Radio interview with Misulia

Lenin Andres Suarez

Age: 27

Hometown: Barrancabermeja, Colombia

Home or Sponsoring Parish: St. Margaret, Bel Air

Education: Instituto Tecnico Superior industrial, Santander, Colombia; Seminario Nacional Cristo Sacerdote, Antioquia, Colombia; St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park

Pastoral Assignments: Charlestown Senior Living, Catonsville; St. Louis, Clarksville; St. Margaret and St. Mary Magdalen, Bel Air; The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Bayview

Did you know? Suarez has a special devotion to the “three Teresas of the Catholic Church,” St. Teresa of Avila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). Suarez enjoys reading Scripture and ministering both to Anglo and Hispanic communities.

Zachary Essex Watson

Age: 29

Hometown: Olathe, Kan.

Home or Sponsoring Parish: St. Mark, Fallston

Education: Prince of Peace Elementary, Olathe; St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Overland Park, Kan.; University of Kansas; St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park

Pastoral Assignments: Our Lady of the Fields, Millersville; Immaculate Conception, Towson; St. John the Evangelist, Frederick, and St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor, Buckeystown; St. Joseph, Cockeysville; Towson University Newman Center

Did you know? Watson is a musician who plays piano and organ. He enjoys biking, running and reading. He also loves to cook, especially on the grill.

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