Deacon ordination in Eichstätt: Four candidates take up their duties!

Deacon ordination in Eichstätt: Four candidates take up their duties!

On Saturday, June 28th, the Eichstätt diocese is expecting an important event: four candidates for the priesthood will be ordained as deacons in the Guardian Angel Church. The service begins at 9:30 a.m. and will be broadcast live on the Diocese of Eichstätt's website. Diocesan administrator Cathedral Provost Alfred Rottler invited Auxiliary Bishop Adolf Bittschi from the Diocese of Sucre (Bolivia) to the celebration because the bishop's see is vacant.

The ordained people who embark on the path to the priesthood come from different parishes. Nikolai Losev comes from the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Moscow and completed his internship at the Nuremberg-Langwasser parish association. Philipp Anselm Lürken comes from the parish of St. Hubertus in Dresden and has gained experience in Ingolstadt. Jonas Reißmann and Sebastian Scharnagl round out the quartet; the former is from Roth, while the latter works in Ingolstadt.

The rite of consecration

As the Catholic website katholisch.de describes, the ordination of a deacon is carried out by a silent laying on of hands and a large prayer of consecration that calls down the Holy Spirit. In this rite, candidates undertake important diaconal services. They support the priests in celebrating the Eucharist, proclaim the Word of God, prepare the altar and help administer the sacraments. The service of a deacon is particularly aimed at people on the margins of society in order to meet them in the attitude of Jesus.

A deacon is not only a preparer for the priesthood, but also has equivalent responsibilities in his community. In addition, ordination as a deacon is necessary for men who are preparing for ordination as a priest, which will take place on April 16th in Eichstätter Cathedral. On this day, Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke ordains three more deacons as priests: Sebastian Lesch, Ulrich Schmidt and Christof Sommer. They have also previously completed a pastoral course and gained practical experience in the respective parishes.

Important promises and requirements

Before ordination, candidates must make a promise to live according to the Gospel and the tradition of the Church. These include, among other things, the promise of celibacy, the Liturgy of the Hours and supporting those in need. These promises ensure that they carry out their tasks in accordance with the values ​​of the Catholic Church.

The consecration itself is considered irrevocable and gives the ordained person a distinctive character that connects him or her with the diocese. The Catholic Church knows a total of three levels of the sacrament of orders: ordination as a deacon, ordination as a priest and ordination as a bishop. The rite is usually performed on Sundays or public holidays as part of a mass. The ordination as a deacon is therefore not just a step for the candidates, but a significant moment for the entire community.

It is an important moment for the diocese of Eichstätt and the upcoming ordinations, both deacon and priestly ordinations. The anticipation of the celebrations is palpable, and the community looks with hope to the young, committed men who are taking up their diaconal and priestly calling.

For further information and updates on the candidates for ordination, the Eichstätt Diocese website is available: Diocese of Eichstätt, Eichstätter Cathedral and katholisch.de.