Six men will be ordained as permanent deacons on May 6

Bishop Edward Malesic will ordain six men to the sacred order of deacon during a Mass at 10 a.m. May 6 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Those to be ordained as permanent deacons are:

• Robert John Blackburn, St. Basil the Great Parish, Brecksville. He is married to Allison Blackburn and they have five children, three sons and two daughters.
• Andrew Joseph Davis, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Akron. A clinical director for Catholic Charities, he is married to Christine Davis and they have five children, four daughters and one son.
• William Gerard Elwer, St. Jude Parish, Elyria. An integration services manager, he is married to Michelle Elwer and they have two children, a son and a daughter.
• Michael Dominic Mucic, St. Mary of the Falls Parish, Olmsted Falls. A retired Navy veteran, he is married to Carolyn Mucic and they have two children, a son and a daughter.
• Robert Joseph Stegmaier, Nativity of the Lord Parish, Akron. He is retired and married to Kathleen Stegimaier. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
• Thomas William Ward, SS. Robert and William Parish, Euclid, and the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. A police officer, he is married to Christine Ward and they have four children, two daughters and two sons.

The men completed their education at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology and a multi-year program of formation focusing on human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral pillars.

As permanent deacons, they will be assigned to a parish within the diocese to assist the bishop and priests. Their duties will include assisting at the Eucharist, distributing Holy Communion, baptizing, witnessing and blessing marriages, proclaiming the Gospel and preaching, presiding at funerals and engaging in ministries of charity.

This year is the 55th anniversary of the 1968 approval by St. Pope Paul VI for the bishops of the United States to renew the permanent diaconate as an active, permanent order of ministry.

The liturgy will be streamed live on the diocesan website and can be viewed on demand after the ordination.

For more information on the permanent diaconate formation program, contact Deacon George Malec, director.