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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