There will be 13 new members of the clergy in the Diocese of Cleveland this spring, thanks to the ordinations of six new priests and seven deacons — three transitional and four permanent.

Six transitional deacons are concluding their formation at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology as they prepare for priestly ordination at 10 a.m. May 16 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Bishop Edward Malesic will preside at the ordination Mass, with Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost and others concelebrating the livestreamed liturgy.

Those to be ordained to the priesthood, their parents and home parishes are:

Deacon Charles Renwyck Cairnie, son of Robert and Paula Cairnie (stepmother) and Alexa Cairnie, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Wooster

• Deacon Mitchell Timothy Carson, son of Dennis and Rhonda Carson, St. Peter Parish, North Ridgeville
• Deacon Cameron Michael Ferrell, son of Brandon and Carrie Ferrell, SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Doylestown
• Deacon Nathan Michael Frankart, son of Steve and Kim Frankart, St. Joseph Parish, Amherst
• Deacon Truong (Joseph) Viet Ho, son of Hoc Viet Ho and Lanh Thi Nguyen of Ha Tinh, Vietnam, St. Boniface Parish, Cleveland
• Deacon Sean Patrick Neville, son of Jim and the late Colleen Neville, St. Mary of the Falls Parish, Olmsted Falls

Three new transitional deacons ordained

Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost, in the presence of Bishop Edward Malesic, ordained three men to the transitional diaconate during a livestreamed Mass on April 18 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. 

The newly ordained, their parents and home parishes are: 

• Noah Anthony Furin, son of David and Lynne Furin, St. Ladislas Parish, Westlake
• Sean Christopher Homcy, son of Alan Homcy and Elizabeth Homcy, St. James Parish, Lakewood
• Jeremy Michael Shafer, son of Jeffrey Shafer and Mary Shafer, St. Mary Parish, Berea
• A fourth seminarian, Arthur John Bodenshatz, son of Gary and Nicole Bodenschatz, St. Paul Parish, North Canton, will be ordained later to the transitional diaconate for the Diocese of Youngstown. His ordination will take place at 10:30 a.m. June 6 at his home parish of St. Paul. 

As deacons, Bishop Woost told the ordinandi that they “will become an icon of Christ the Servant … You will not just receive the sacrament of holy orders, you will become the sacrament … Yet, this is just the beginning of a new phase and new choices in your life’s faith journey.” 

The bishop told them they should recognize they have received a gift and use it “to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace … Let your service be with the strength that God supplies. Let your ministry reveal the face and voice of Christ the Servant to us. Let your witness show us how ‘not to be served, but to serve.’” 

The parish assignments for the newly ordained deacons are Deacon Noah, St. Joan of Arc, Chagrin Falls; Deacon Sean, St. Martin of Tours, Valley City; and Deacon Jeremy, Divine Word, Kirtland. 

Four men answer call to ministry as permanent deacons

After five years of study, formation and discernment, four men were ordained by Bishop Edward Malesic as permanent deacons for service to the Diocese of Cleveland on May 2 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. 

The newly ordained, their home parishes and family information are: 

•  Deacon Zakary Ian Jester, director of youth ministry and confirmation at St. Raphael Parish, Bay Village, is married to Sarah. They are members of St. Raphael Parish and have two sons.
• Deacon Jerald Matthew Joyce, director of business development at Amsive, is married to Melissa (Mel). They are members of St. Anselm Parish in Chesterland and have two sons and a daughter.
• Deacon William Michael Prebel, senior investment adviser with PNC Bank, is married to Mildred (Millie). They are members of SS. Cosmas and Damian Parish in Twinsburg and have a blended family of six adult children: four daughters and two sons.
• Deacon Jon-Gerard Woost, chief operating officer of Automation Plastics, is married to Carrie. They are members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Wadsworth and have four adult children: three sons and a daughter.