Our diocese gained a transitional Deacon on Saturday 6th June as Jithu James was ordained at Oscott Seminary.
Jithu has been studying for the past 5 years at St Mary’s college and hopes to be ordained to the priesthood next summer. A transitional deacon refers to the state of a man, ordained deacon in preparation for priestly ordination to follow as oppose to a permanent deacon you may know in your parishes. During the diaconate ceremony, a deacon makes three promises; celibacy, prayer and obedience.
The Archbishop of Birmingham, Bernard Longley presided at the celebration and he encouraged the new deacons to serve the whole people of God and proclaim the Word of God in the midst of the community, reminding them of our Lord’s words in the Gospel of Matthew to “Go into the city and make the preparations (for the last supper)”.
The ceremony can be watched in full here.