Newly ordained Deacons Bruno Nwachukwu, right, and Brother Alvaro Perez Silva walk to the pew reserved for the new deacons after the ordination rite. Brother Alvaro is part of Pro Ecclesia Sancta, a religious community based in his home country of Peru. He has been called by his religious superiors to the order of deacon.
The Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis was filled to capacity May 3 for the ordination of eight men to the transitional diaconate. Seminarians are ordained to the transitional diaconate before their last year of preparation for ordination to the priesthood. Those ordained were: Bruno Nwachukwu, John Powers, Jake Anderson, Byron Hagan, Peter Hughes, Thomas McKenzie, James Stiles and Brother Alvaro Perez Silva.
John Powers kneels before Archbishop John Nienstedt for the laying on of hands.After the ordination Mass, Deacon Jake Anderson blesses Dr. Christian Washburn and his sons, Thomas, 17; Petrus, 12; Aloisius, 11; and Ambrose 9. The Washburns are members of St. Agnes parish in St. Paul.
