Eleven Men to be Admitted as Candidates for the Permanent Diaconate Author: Diocese of Fall River Press Releases and Statements 5 Jun 2024 Share SOUTH DARTMOUTH — Eleven men will be admitted to candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Fall River in St. Mary’s Church in South Dartmouth on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will celebrate the Mass during which the admission ceremony will take place. Assisting Bishop da Cunha, will be Deacons Frank R. Lucca and Deacon Joseph A. McGinley, Co-Directors of the Permanent Diaconate. The prospective candidates are the eleventh class for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese and have been in the formation program for nearly two years. Admission to candidacy occurs when the prospective candidates have reached maturity of purpose and have demonstrated other necessary qualifications along with their completion of the required preparatory steps. During the ceremony, candidates publicly express their desire to be ordained as deacons and the bishop accepts their declaration. The families of the candidates will be present to join in prayer at this Mass. The Candidates have completed a period of Aspirancy during which they were advised of the role of the Deacon, expectations for Formation and the ministry to which they have been called. Deacon Frank Lucca and Deacon Joseph McGinley, as well as other deacons, formed a team with the purpose of evaluating them and their applications. During Aspirancy, prospective candidates submitted required documentation and along with their wives, participated in psychological evaluation. They have completed one year of study which included courses in Prayer and Spirituality, Introduction to Theology, Christology and Old Testament. They will continue in three more years of academic and pastoral formation before ordination as deacons. The prospective candidates and their parishes are as follows: Paul DeMeo St. Joseph Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, Falmouth Peter DeTerra St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven Mark Franzoni Holy Cross Parish, South Easton Juan Galli St. Anthony Parish, New Bedford James Johnston St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown David Lima St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton George MacKoul Christ the King Parish, Mashpee John O’Neill St. Theresa Child of Jesus Parish, Attleboro Marcos Echevarria-Parrilla Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, New Bedford Mariano Pimentel Holy Family Parish, East Taunton Joseph Sollecito St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton Prospective candidates while on retreat earlier this spring. Diocese of Fall River Office of Communications Categories Sem categoria Mensagens do Bispo In the News Press Releases and Statements Success Stories Photo Gallery Videos Related Posts In the News 24 Mai 2016 Eleven to be Admitted to Candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate NEW BEDFORD – Eleven men aspiring to become permanent deacons will be admitted to candidacy at a Mass on June 8, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the Holy Name of … Read More In the News 15 Out 2020 Seventeen Men to be Admitted as Candidates for the Permanent Diaconate FALL RIVER — Seventeen men will be admitted to candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Fall River on Tuesday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity … Read More In the News 14 Jun 2021 Candidates for Diaconate to be Installed as Readers Fifteen candidates currently studying for the Permanent Diaconate in the Fall River Diocese will be installed as Readers by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June … Read More