News Release #429

Eleven permanent deacon candidates to be instituted as

lectors of the Catholic Church

Sleepy Eye, MN – On October 10, 2009, eleven candidates for the permanent diaconate will be instituted as lectors of the Catholic Church by the Most Reverend John M. LeVoir, bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm. The ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Mary in Sleepy Eye. The public is invited to attend.

Becoming a permanent deacon of the Catholic Church requires several steps throughout a five-year formation process. In the first year, called “aspirancy,” the man and the Church discern whether or not there is truly a call to formation. It officially ends with the aspirants’ evaluation and the bishop's decision whether to accept them as “candidates” for the diaconate. Once a candidate, and after successfully completing the first year of academic training, candidates are instituted as “lectors.” After two years of formation, the men are instituted as "acolytes." When the period of discernment and formation is completed, the candidates are ordained to the permanent diaconate. The ordination ceremony is tentatively scheduled for April 2012.

Permanent deacon candidates from the Diocese of New Ulm are: Paul Treinen of the Church of St. John, Ortonville; Mike McKeown of the Church of St. Mary, Seaforth; Rick Christensen of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm; Russ Blaschko of the Church of the Holy Rosary, North Mankato; Roger Osborne of the Church of St Frances De Sales, Winthrop; Tim Dolan of the Church of St. Michael, Gaylord; Steve Spilman of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm; John Hansen of the Church of St. John, Darwin; Jason Myhre of the Church of St. Edward, Minneota; Bob Reitsma of the Church of St. Patrick, Kandiyohi; and Jim Guldan of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm.