After many years of formation, discernment and prayer, transitional deacons from Sacred Heart Major Seminary will give their lives to God in the Sacrament of Holy Orders this spring and summer. The men represent the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gary, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette and the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas, as well as the Companions of the Cross.
The gift of the priesthood is described in the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):
“Ordination to the priesthood is always a call and a gift from God. Christ reminded his Apostles that they needed to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. Those who seek priesthood respond generously to God's call using the words of the prophet, "Here I am, send me" (Is 6:8). This call from God can be recognized and understood from the daily signs that disclose his will to those in charge of discerning the vocation of the candidate.”
Sacred Heart faculty, staff and benefactors offer heartfelt prayers and congratulations to all the men and wish them all the best in their ministry.
A seminarian representing each diocese or community was asked to share a reflection with Mosaic.
Dcn. Eran Amarasingha, Companions of the Cross
“I will serve at St. Benedict Parish in Halifax, Canada. It's a thriving parish, and a center for revival. My heart is for youth and young-adult ministry, and for evangelization. I pray that God will use me in my priesthood to bring revival to His Church and draw souls to Himself through my life and ministry. I'm excited to put into practice the many things I learned at SHMS. I especially fondly recall the classes I've had with Dr. Mary Healy and Dr. Robert Fastiggi, who have been role models and sources of inspiration to me in the areas of holiness, zeal for evangelization, and dependance on the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Dcn. Brett Ivey, Diocese of Lansing
“Helping families come to know the newness of life that Jesus offers through the sacramental communion of the Church is what I look forward to most in the ministry before me. Even though there were many formation opportunities, classes and professors who have helped me discover the richness of our faith over these last years, one of the most impactful was an elective on the Theology of the Body taught by Dr. Oana Gotia. She helped form in me a concrete vision for God’s plan for family, and instilled hope in me that this is possible to attain by grace.”
Dcn. Alexander Kouris, Diocese of Gary
“The Mercy of God has been a major influence in my life. God has blessed me time and time again with the gift of mercy and has called me to go and do likewise to his people who are in need of it. To be an agent of mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation along with bringing people closer to Christ in the Eucharist are duties I am excited to fulfill!
The formation at Sacred Heart has been very significant in preparing me for the priesthood. All of the priests here have been good examples of what it means to be a father. I am eternally grateful for their accompaniment as well as for challenging me to grow stronger and reach new heights with Christ. I am also very thankful for my spiritual director who has graciously formed me over these four years.”
Dcn. Zachary Mazurek, Diocese of Marquette
“As a priest of Jesus Christ and a minister of the Sacraments, I will have a front-row seat to the transforming power of God's love working in the hearts of his people. I look forward to being radically available to walk with and lead souls toward greater union with the Triune God. I am so grateful for how my time in seminary has prepared me for this through many blessings, including a 30-day silent retreat; courses on the sacraments, priesthood, Scripture, and Theology of the Body; the brotherhood formed with my classmates; and the mentorship of numerous priests.”
Dcn. Joseph Nannoshi, Eparchy of St. Thomas
“I most look forward to celebrating the sacraments. I could think of no greater gift on earth than God working through me to bring a child into the faith through Baptism, to reconcile a person in Confession who has fallen away by sin, and to elevate the Sacred Body and Blood of our Lord at the Divine Liturgy. Our celebration of the sacraments as priests is something of which all of us are truly unworthy, yet He equips us by His grace to make Christ present to all who seek Him. I am grateful for my time at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, where I was formed to be a man of Christ who selflessly serves the Church, proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ.”
Dcn. Benjamin Schroder, Archdiocese of Detroit
“At Sacred Heart, I really appreciated being able to do both hospital ministry and some street evangelization. I was able to meet people at all points on the spectrum of life: people just admitted to the hospital or just getting discharged; people who were not Christian, or people who went to Mass every Sunday, and everyone in between. Those encounters helped remind me that Christ is for everyone at every time.
I want to be a priest who helps people keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, a priest who helps people love the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit more than they did yesterday.”
Dcn. Paul Thuantho, Diocese of Kalamazoo
“I hope to bring Christ’s hope and love to the people of God, especially to the young people. More than ever, I believe our youth need a lot of guidance and support to live as beloved sons and daughters of God in this confusing and complicated world. I am very thankful to all my formators and professors for their patience and kindness throughout my time here at Sacred Heart over10 years. Particularly, I am grateful to Fr. Stephen Burr, Fr. Charlie Fox, and Fr. Clint McDonell for their mentorship, and Dr. Mary Healy and Dr. Andre Villeneuve for helping me to fall in love with the Word of God!”
Upcoming Ordinations
Companions of the Cross – Dcn. Eran Amarasingha, Dcn. Michael Horianopoulous, Dcn. Sebastian Muggeridge, Dcn. Timothy Silver
- Date: May 24, 2025, at 10 a.m.
- Location: Notre Dame Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Marcel Damphousse
- Watch the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@CompanionsCross
Diocese of Kalamazoo – Dcn. Paul Thuantho
- Date: May 31, 2025, at 10 a.m.
- Location: St. Augustine Cathedral in Kalamazoo, MI
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Edward M. Lohse
- Watch the livestream: http://www.youtube.com/@DioceseofKalamazoo1
Diocese of Marquette – Dcn. Zachary Mazurek
- Date: June 6, 2025, at 3:30 p.m.
- Location: St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette, MI
- Celebrant: Most Rev. John F. Doerfler
- Watch the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@theupcatholic/streams
Archdiocese of Detroit – Dcn. Patrick Bruen, Dcn. Benjamin Schroder
- Date: June 7, 2025, at 10 a.m.
- Location: Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, MI
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Edward J. Weisenburger
- Watch the livestream: https://www.facebook.com/cathedral.aod/live
Diocese of Gary – Dcn. Ivan Alatorre, Dcn. Alexander Kouris
- Date: June 7, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. CDT
- Location: Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary, IN
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Robert McClory
- Watch the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@DioceseofGaryIN
Diocese of Lansing – Dcn. Jonathan Bokuniewicz, Dcn. Brett Ivey, Dcn. Jack Jobst, Dcn. Randy Koenigsknecht, Dcn. Daniel LaCroix, Dcn. Joshua Luttig, Dcn. Christian Salata
- Date: June 14, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.
- Location: St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing, MI
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Earl Boyea
- Watch the livestream: http://www.youtube.com/@lansingdiocese
Eparchy of St. Thomas – Dcn. Joseph Nannoshi
- Date: July 5, 2025, at 11 a.m.
- Location: Our Lady of Chaldeans Cathedral in Southfield, MI
- Celebrant: Most Rev. Francis Kalabat
- Watch the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@cathedralofst.josephhartfo8576