Seven men were ordained transitional deacons May 7 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. Above, candidates (from left) Kevin Abikisi, Robert Abotzabire, Peter Akudugu, Evan Koop, Benjamin Little, Nicholas VanDenBroeke and Albert Wugaa stand before Archbishop John Nienstedt during the Rite of Ordination. Koop, Little and VanDenBroeke were ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Abakisi, Abotzabire, Akudugu and Wugaa were ordained for the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ghana, and will return home for ordination to the priesthood.Allison Koop, Evan Koop’s sister, and her fiancé, Burton Hendrickson, pray together after Communion.
