The whole project began in May 2013. An invitation was sent to one hundred members of all the parishes in Saipan and Rota and Tinian to attend a presentation on Lay Ministry Training Program for the Diocese at The Fiesta Hotel. That was the beginning of a five year Program designed to “equip” men and women for ministries in our parishes. Initially forty men and women signed up for the program. During the past year, seven men (sometimes with their wives) and a few others continued the program and seven applied to be accepted as aspirants for the Deaconate. A discernment retreat was held at Maturana House of Prayer in August for some of these men and their wives. Five of these men have now been accepted for the final stage as Candidates with the hope of Ordination to the Deaconate Easter Saturday 2018. Bishop Ryan has accepted the following candidates for Permanent Deacons: Rosiky Camacho, Tony Yarobwemal, Stan Benavente, Tom Schweiger, and Jeff Camacho.
Fr James Balajadia recently gave a class on Bible Basics, and formation classes continue weekly. The next step will be for the candidates to receive the ministry of Lector in December, the ministry of Acolyte in February and the Final Ordination in April.
The church here had two ordained deacons, Modesto Salas of Chalan Kanoa, and Segundo Castro of Tinian while still under the Diocese of Agana. Both deacons died some time ago. Deacon Richard Shewman, formerly of Chalan Kanoa, now resides and works in the Marriage Tribunal for the Diocese of Erie PA and writes a weekly column for the Northstar.
The restoration of the permanent Deaconate was promulgated by Vatican Council II, and since that time there have been many Ordained Permanent Deacons working in ministry in our neighboring Archdiocese of Agana, the Diocese of Carolines, and in most Dioceses in the United States. The role of the Deacon is to serve the Bishop of the Diocese. In many instances he is assigned to a particular parish to assist the pastor in preparing families for baptism of their children, or marriage, or visiting and bring Holy Communion to the sick. At times a Deacon may be asked to do ministry at the prison or coordinate Justice and peace Commission. Fr Ken Hezel, SJ has been coordinator of Lay Ministry Training and is assisted by Fr James Balajadia, Sr Maryann Hartman, MMB, and Fr Jason Granado.
