DIACONATE VOCATIONS

Becoming Deacons

MARK SCAFIDI

Mark Scafidi grew up in San Francisco. He has been married for 44 years to his wife Linda and has a son, Gregory. He has served many parish ministries and coached CYO sports at St. Patrick Church in Larkspur.

After earning degrees in psychology and law, he coached communication skills and mediated emotionally charged problems in increasingly difficult circumstances: incarcerated juveniles, child custody and marital dissolution, police officer-civilian disputes and patient-provider health care concerns.

TOM KRAMER

Tom Kramer earned degrees in mechanical engineering from Cal Poly and San Diego State. He founded Sirius Engineering in 2008 and is a co-founder of four medical device companies. He and his wife, Julie, raised three children, Kathleen, David and Kristine (Hunter) in San Carlos, where they have been active members of St. Charles Parish since 1992.

Tom’s mother always told him, “Remember, Tommy, you will not only be judged on what you do, but also on what you don’t do.” There is always more to do.

Tom’s home parish of St. Michael’s in Livermore holds a very special place in his heart. His pastor of 30 years, the late Msgr. Michael G. Adams, and Deacon Dave Rezendes were both influential in his spiritual life. He also credits his growth to the Dominican Sisters, particularly Sisters Antoninus, Francis Raphael, Annette, Bartholomew and Emmanuel.

Tom’s vocation journey can be summed up as going from “Am I being called?” to “Lord, here I am. Send me.”

RICARDO ESCOBAR

Ricardo Antonio Escobar was born in San Salvador, El Salvador. As a child, he was a member of the Cruzados Montañeros (an equivalent version of the Catholic Boy Scouts) and an altar server. He finished high school at Industrial Technical Institute of San Salvador.

In 1990, due to the civil war, he immigrated to the United States. Shortly after coming to the U.S. he met his wife, Maribel, in the youth group of St. Anthony of Padua, Menlo Park, where he also finished his Christian initiation. Maribel and Ricardo are the proud parents of Ahtziri Galilea, 16, and Sarah Belen, 6.

Maribel has been the administrative assistant for the faith formation program for 30 years. Ricardo has helped the parish in many ministries, including coordinator for the altar servers and the liturgy, giving talks to the parents of faith formation and as a catechist of RCIA. He currently works as a school bus driver for Palo Alto Unified School District.

IWAN SOEGIHARTO

Iwan Soegiharto is married to Lily Suryani Tanu. They have two children: Maria Cecilia, 17, and Joseph Louis, 12.

Before becoming a parishioner at St. Cecilia Parish 20 years ago, Iwan was actively involved with the Catholic Indonesian community in Northern California and Holy Trinity Community. In these communities, Iwan served as longtime RCIA coordinator and frequently led sharing groups. He works as an accountant at Archbishop Riordan High School and helped develop the Riordan Chess Club.

His favorite Bible passage is from Psalm 34:9: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

RUSS WERTENBERG

Russ Wertenberg is a native Californian, born in San Francisco. He grew up in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish before moving to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in 1970. For 14 years Russ worked at a national lab doing research and about 30 years at NASA as an engineer. During those years, he married his wife of 44 years, Linda, and became a father to two and grandfather to four.

Upon beginning his diaconate formation, it became clear to Russ that it needed to be his priority and focus, so he decided to retire from outside business. During formation he has served at the Notre Dame de Namur University Cunningham Chapel, St. Mark, St. Denis and Our Lady of the Wayside. This is a full-circle journey as he is now working with parishes that he attended with his wife in 1978.

JAMES DEWAN

A native of Newark, California, James DeWan was baptized a Lutheran but became a full member of the Catholic Church after the RCIA journey. James studied horticulture in college and spent most of his adult working life in the retail and wholesale nurseries industry and in landscaping. James is single and is currently groundskeeper at a retirement community in the Piedmont area of Oakland.

James is serving the very culturally diverse and vibrant community of the Church of the Visitacion. Music, gardening and church history are his favorite pastimes.

CHRIS MAJOR

Chris Major holds a Clear Level II Education Specialist credential from the University of San Francisco and an undergraduate degree in economics and business administration from St. Mary’s College of California.

He taught special education at the K-12 level for 18 years, after a 13-year career in insurance risk management.

He is a member of St. Isabella Parish in San Rafael. He is the marriage preparation consultant for the parish, passionate about RCIA and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He currently serves as the coordinator for African American ethnic ministry in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

CHRIS MARIANO

Chris Mariano and his wife, Theresa Manansala, have been married for 14 years and have three boys — ages 11, 8 and 4. Chris is the Archdiocese of San Francisco coordinator of youth and young adult ministry, and Theresa is a teacher in an archdiocesan Catholic school. Chris and Theresa have been professionally active in education and youth ministry for over 22 years. Parishes and schools they have served include St. Augustine, Immaculate Conception Academy, Archbishop Riordan High School, St. Timothy and St. Dunstan. They currently serve at Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame. They ask for your continued prayers as they serve their communities.

DAVID ARMS

David Arms and his wife, Susan, were married at Mission Santa Clara in 1988. They have four sons (Oran, Steven, Kevin and Michael), two daughters-in-law (Emily and Miranda) and two soon-to-be daughtersin-law (Monique and Meagan). They also have two grandchildren (Claire and Joseph). They are small business owners serving the aviation industry.

David became a Catholic in 1992, receiving the sacraments of initiation at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mill Valley. His conversion took place through involvement in the pro-life movement, the faithful witness of Susan and her family, the truths of the Catholic faith and the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. David particularly enjoys ministering to other men by helping them to build their faith through prayer, study and fellowship.

GUILLERMO QUANT

Guillermo Quant was born in Bluefields, Nicaragua, and immigrated to the United States in the late 1970s. In the ’80s, he became an active member of youth groups in different parishes within the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He met his wife, Ivania, in the youth group at St. Peter’s Church. They have been married for 33 years and are blessed with one son, William.

Guillermo has been a parishioner at St. Bruno Church for the last 25 years. After 29 years with the U.S. Postal Service, he retired early to enter the diaconate formation. In this last year of formation, he has been in ministry at St. Timothy Church in San Mateo. ■