February 19, 2019 ~ St. Peregrine Laziosi Diocesan Shrine/ Jasper Christian Gambito. On 16 February 2019, two (2) Servite friars –  Rev Ryan Ma. Ipili, OSM and Rev Ricky Ma. Sister, OSM were ordained by the Most Rev Jesse E. Mercado, DD., Bishop of Paranaque to the Sacred Order of Deacons in a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration held at the St. Peregrine Laziosi Diocesan Shrine. Concelebrating the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration among the brother-priests from the St. Peregrine Philippine Vicariate of the Order of the Servants of Mary was the Vicar-Provincial, Rev Fr Deogracias Ma. Alejandria, Jr., OSM. The Rite of Ordination was witnessed by the parishioners, members of the Order of Secular Servants of Mary (OSSM), sisters belonging to the Servite Family, Seminarians, the two ordinand’s family and friends.

The diaconate is among the three degrees of the Sacrament of the Holy Orders, a step prior to become a presbyter or a priest. Unlike in the ordination to the priesthood, only the bishop lays hands on the candidate at an ordination to the diaconate – thus signifying the deacon’s special attachment to the bishop in the tasks of his ‘diakonia’ (CCC 1569). The Catechism of the Catholic Church mentions that Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity (CCC 1570).

Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the Church; they do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them important functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and the service of charity, tasks which they must carry out under the pastoral authority of their bishop (CCC 1596).