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June 4, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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Ordination liturgies slated for June 5, 19 SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte will hold two ordination Masses in June, and everyone is welcome to attend. Last year’s ordinations were delayed and livestreamed due to limited in-person attendance during the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s ordination liturgies will return to the traditional June schedule and will be open for in-person attendance at full MORE ORDINATION capacity. COVERAGE will be Bishop Peter featured in the June J. Jugis will preside at both 18 edition of the Catholic News Herald ordinations, which and online at www. will take place at catholicnewsherald.com. St. Mark Church, located at 14740 Stumptown Road in Huntersville.
Coming June 18
TRANSITIONAL DIACONATE
The first ordination liturgy is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 5, when seminarians Darren Balkey and Aaron Huber will be ordained to the transitional diaconate. The transitional diaconate is the final step before ordination to the priesthood. Once ordained deacons, Balkey and Huber can proclaim the Gospel at Mass, give homilies, baptize and officiate at weddings. They will have an additional year of theological studies and spiritual formation before being ordained to the priesthood, expected next June.
Balkey
Huber
Balkey, 29, is the son of Steven and Sheryl Balkey. He was born and raised in State College, Pa., and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Belmont Abbey College. He is a Chaplain Candidate Program Officer and received his commission to the U.S. Navy last year. He studied pre-theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, and will complete his seminary studies in theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati. A parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, he served summer assignments at St. Thomas Aquinas Church and St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville, and Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont. Balkey says, “The deacon is ordained to proclaim the Gospel as he is continually configured to Christ the servant. This particular season in my vocation allows me to express my gratitude to Almighty God and the faithful for the many gifts bestowed upon me in a very tangible way. I am eager to serve.” Huber, 24, is the son of Eric and Tamara
Sanchez
Wasswa
Huber. He was born in Mount Pleasant, S.C., and grew up in Cruso, N.C. He is a graduate of St. Joseph College Seminary, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Belmont Abbey College. He will complete his seminary studies in theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. A parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Church, Huber served summer assignments at St. Mark Church, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro and St. Elizabeth Church in Boone. Huber says, “I am very excited to be entering the diaconate for the Diocese of Charlotte. Since I will be making promises to obedience, prayer and celibacy, my ordination day will be like one’s wedding day. On June 5, I will be committed to a life of service to God and His Church, and this knowledge fills me with immense joy.”
PRIESTHOOD
Deacon Juan Miguel Sanchez and Deacon Joseph Wasswa will be ordained to the priesthood during a 10 a.m. Mass Saturday, June 19. Deacon Sanchez, 36, is the son of Ignacio
Sanchez Yañez and Maria Garcia Perez. He was born in Ixtlahuacán del Río, Mexico, and grew up in Mexico. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in humanities and sciences from the Pontifical College Josephinum, and he is completing his seminary studies in theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. A parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir, he served summer assignments at St. Eugene Church in Asheville, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon, St. Therese Church in Mooresville, and St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Deacon Sanchez says, “It is an honor for me to be part of the Diocese of Charlotte and I am looking forward to serving the community.” Deacon Wasswa, 32, is the son of Henry Gideon Kisekulo and Antonietta Namaganda. He was born in Kalisizo, Uganda, and grew up in Uganda. He earned a Bachelor of Philosophy from St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Katigondo-Masaka, Uganda, and is completing his seminary studies in theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum. A parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, he served summer assignments there and at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas churches in Charlotte, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, and St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva. Deacon Wasswa says, “I am very grateful for the incredible support I have received from the people across the diocese, and I am really looking forward to serving them with all my heart, and leading them to heaven.”
Seven seminarians admitted to candidacy for holy orders SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
CHARLOTTE — For the second year in a row, seminarians of the Diocese of Charlotte stood before Bishop Peter Jugis at St. Patrick Cathedral during a livestreamed Mass and affirmed their desire to advance along the path toward the priesthood. Seven men officially embarked on a more focused period of formation during the special Mass May 29 that featured the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. The next steps in their formation are ministry of lector, ministry of acolyte, ordination to the transitional diaconate, and finally, ordination to the priesthood. The seven men include: Christopher Angermeyer of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte; Anthony del Cid Lucero of St. Joseph Church, Newton; Nicholas Kramer of St. Barnabas Church, Arden; Luke Martin of St. Mark Church, Huntersville; Kolbe Murrey of St. John the Baptist Church, Tryon; James Tweed of Sacred Heart Church, Brevard; and Joseph Yellico of St. Mark Church, Huntersville. During his homily, Bishop Jugis said, “My dear brothers, we are happy to accept your petitions for admission to candidacy and, today in this Mass, to accept you
formally as candidates for holy orders and bestow upon you the official blessing designating you as candidates for holy orders. You join the ranks of your brother seminarian candidates who are ahead of you on their formation journeys.” “Jesus in His love for you, has brought you along thus far in your path of discernment, and He will continue to lead you. Trust in Him. Give yourself to Him. Spend time with the Lord in prayer. He will give you the graces you need to grow in your vocation,” he told them. Angermeyer, del Cid Lucero, Martin and Tweed will study this fall at The Athenaeum of Ohio (Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology) in Cincinnati. Kramer, Murrey and Yellico will study at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Of the opportunity to join fellow seminarians Christian Goduti and Matthew Harrison II studying in Rome, Yellico said, “It is certainly a humbling experience, I really never thought this would happen to me… but clearly the Lord had plans and the bishop wants me to go and train with that in mind. I will always be grateful for everything I will be able to experience there.”
SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Bishop Peter Jugis presided over the Rite of Admission to Candidacy May 29 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte for seminarians (from left): Anthony del Cid Lucero; Kolbe Murrey; Nicholas Kramer; Christopher Angermeyer; James Tweed; Joseph Yellico; and Luke Martin.
Watch online and learn more On the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel: Watch video and Bishop Jugis’ homily from the Rite of Admission to Candidacy Mass
At www.charlottediocese.org/vocations: Get more information about pursuing a vocation to the priesthood, diaconate or religious life in the Diocese of Charlotte
