May 26, 2019

Five men ordained as transitional deacons for the Springfield Diocese

REGIONAL
Carolee McGrath

SPRINGFIELD – It was standing room only inside Mary Mother of Hope Church in Springfield Saturday, May 25, as five seminarians took an important step on their journey to the priesthood.

Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski celebrated the special 11 a.m. Mass during which he ordained Stanislaus Chukwuebuka Achu, Onyekachukwu Valentine Nworah, Matthew Barone, Michael Goodreau and Paul Sinh Hong Trinh to the transitional diaconate.

Deacons preparing to become priests are called transitional deacons. Transitional deacons can preach and read the Gospel, assist at Mass, baptize, witness marriages and conduct funeral rites outside of Mass. The men now have one more year of priestly formation.

“They will serve as ministers of the altar. It is an ordination that allows them to be able to serve God’s people and reach out and be the true presence of the Lord Jesus,” Bishop Rozanski said in his homily. “They will be called to give their lives entirely to the Lord.”

During the Rite of Ordination, the bishop called the men forward and asked about their worthiness as candidates. Following the homily, the men stated their intent to be consecrated to the church’s ministry and to follow the example of Christ. Next, the men lie prostrate before the altar as a gesture of humility and total submission to God, as the congregation recited the Litany of Saints. This was followed by the Laying On of Hands. Finally, the men were vested and handed the Book of Gospels.

“It’s exciting that we have two men from the diocese. We have homegrown vocations. But we also have two men from Nigeria and one from Vietnam who are coming to the diocese almost as missionaries, bringing their histories, their cultures and talents with them,” said Father Michael Wood, the director of vocations for the diocese and pastor of Mary Mother of Hope Parish.

Deacon Onyekachukwu Valentine Nworah was a student of religious studies at Siena Heights University, in Adrian, Mich. and of speech communication at Lone Star College in Houston, Tex. He is currently at St John’s Seminary in Brighton, Mass. 

“It’s just about the Lord. The desire and the love to serve God, to be in perfect relationship with him, to be able to serve him through the church,” said Deacon Nworah, who has been assigned to Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Easthampton.

Deacon Matthew Barone is from Chicopee and attended the former St. Patrick Elementary and Holyoke Catholic High schools and Our Lady of the Elms College.

“I originally felt the call when I was in second grade. We were learning about the sacraments, specifically Holy Orders, and we were reading a book about the seminary,” said Deacon Barone, who has been assigned to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in West Springfield. “I remember sitting on the floor thinking, ‘That’s something I could do and would like to do.’ That call stuck with me throughout the years and never went away.”

Deacon Michael Goodreau grew up in Wilbraham where he graduated from Minnechaug Regional High School. He earned an associate’s degree from Holyoke Community College and a bachelor of science degree in history from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He said he wasn’t always a regular at Mass, but had an experience on a trip to Ireland that brought him back to church.

“One day we went to the Shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett. It wasn’t miraculous, but I saw this martyr with relics there and I was like, ‘Why am I not going to Mass? Where is the direction in my life?’” he recalled. Deacon Goodreau has been assigned to Holy Name Parish in Springfield.

Deacon Sinh Hong Trinh was born in Vietnam and spent 17 years in a refugee camp in the Philippines. He will begin his fourth year of theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Conn.

“Everything he gives to me is a gift. I’m not worthy, but God gives me more than what I ask so I will give thanks to him,” said Deacon Trinh, who has been assigned to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Springfield.

Deacon Achu attended St. Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot Epkene, AI, Nigeria; Providence College, Providence, R.I.; and St. John’s Seminary, in Brighton. The 31-year-old is the oldest of seven children. His family flew in from Nigeria to attend the ordination. He said he felt the call to the priesthood when he served as an altar boy at the age of 10.

“He (Jesus) is the master of my life. He is my providence, my creator and I just want to make him known to everyone in the world,” said Deacon Achu. “There are a lot of people who need Jesus and they don’t realize that. Once they realize that, they’ll know what they’re missing.”

The men will be ordained to the priesthood in 2020.