It was probably one of the most beautiful days one could have as a parent, according to Tracy Sullivan.
Her son, Russ Sullivan, along with Robert “Tre” Leland Bart III, Stephen Joseph Kirby, Alexander Kulik and Connor John Schmidt were ordained transitional deacons May 3 by Archbishop William E. Lori at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. Each is expected to be ordained as a priest next year.
“This was so beautiful. To see all five young men, they were all glowing,” Tracy Sullivan said. “I can’t wait for next year. He’s been really excited.”
Archbishop Lori, too, was beaming as he addressed the deacons and the congregation.
“By now, I hope you know how happy I am to ordain you as deacons,” he said. “I hope to be happy next year as well.”
He noted that as deacons they will assist with baptisms, weddings and funerals. They will use the gifts God bestowed on them to build a church that is “united, diverse and interdependent.”
“Mary is among us,” the archbishop said. “She’s praying for you, dear brothers, that you will be deacons who are … effective in action, gentle in ministry and constant in prayer.”
Deacon Kulik and his mother embraced as he processed up the aisle at the start of the ceremony.
“Walking up the center aisle, giving my life to Christ and meeting my mother right there at the front, it was a moment of, ‘OK, we are going to do this, I am going to serve the Lord in this way,’” Deacon Kulik said afterward. “I know, Mom, that you love me in all this, and you are here with me. It was a powerful connection with your mother, a spiritual connection.”
During the ordination, each new deacon promised to respect and obey the archbishop as well as his successors. Archbishop Lori laid his hands on each of them to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit and the five were vested.
“I couldn’t be prouder,” said Steve Karwacki, Deacon Schmidt’s grandfather, getting emotional. “Since a very young age, he’s been focused on this.”
He noted, too, that May 3 was even more special as it marked his and his wife, Kay’s, 56th anniversary.
“I am just so happy for him that his dream has come true,” Karwacki said.
As a self-designated “adoptive grandmother” of “all these people,” Judy Crowninshield admitted she is not related to any of the deacons. She is a member of St. John the Evangelist in Severna Park, which sponsored two of those ordained, Deacon Kirby and Deacon Sullivan, and welcomed Deacon Schmidt during his pastoral assignment there (“We feel he’s a part of us,” she said). Crowninshield proudly described each to be “just wonderful.”
“We have a lot of wonderful leadership,” Crowninshield said. “It’s exciting. We have more coming up. It’s just great.”
Kathryn Kirby, Deacon Kirby’s mother, credits the parish family at St. John the Evangelist in Severna Park for its support and faith over the years. As the mother of seven – Deacon Kirby falls squarely in the middle as the fourth child – she homeschooled her children and often attended daily Mass with them. The family was always welcome – noise and all – and never discouraged from coming, she said.
“That parish nurtured all of us,” Kirby said. “The parish family, even those who don’t have children, you are important to nurturing priests. Smiling at us, encouraging us, that’s the Holy Spirit at work.”
At the conclusion of the liturgy, Archbishop Lori announced each of their assignments:
Deacon Schmidt: St. Louis, Clarksville and St. Francis of Assisi, Fulton
Deacon Kulik: Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Homeland
Deacon Kirby: St. Bartholomew, Manchester
Deacon Bart: St. Peter the Apostle, Libertytown
Deacon Sullivan: St. Mark, Fallston
“Aren’t those parishes lucky,” Archbishop Lori said to applause.
Click here to watch a recorded livestream of the ordination.
Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@CatholicReview.org
Kevin J. Parks contributed to this story.
To view more photos from this event, visit catholicreview.smugmug.com/Transitional-Deacon-Ordination-2025 or click through the slideshow below:
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