Ministry of Reader

PARSIPPANY  Bishop Serratelli installed 15 candidates, who have been studying to become permanent deacons in the Diocese for the past three years, to the Ministry of Reader, during the Rite of the Institution of Lectors at a Mass on April 6 in St. Peter the Apostle Parish here. The installation of these men as readers marks the next step in their continuing formation as they advance closer to their anticipated ordination as permanent deacons of the Diocese in 2020.

Supportive clergy, deacons, family and friends filled St. Peter’s on that Friday evening for the 7:30 p.m. Mass, where Bishop Serratelli installed the men, who proclaim the readings from Scripture at Mass and may announce the intentions for the general intercessions in the absence of a deacon. They are finishing their third year of study in the five-year program, said Deacon Peter Cistaro, director of the diocesan Permanent Diaconate office and a deacon at St. Peter’s.

The Bishop installed the following men as readers: Juan Borges of St. Bonaventure Parish, Paterson; Jerzy Chciuk of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Highland Lakes; Michael DeBenedetto of Annunciation Parish, Wayne; Johnny Figueroa of Sacred Heart Parish, Dover; Ronnie Gonzalez of St. Anthony Parish, Hawthorne; Brian Gusciora of St. Joseph Parish, Passaic; Marc Mackin of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains; Gilberto Martinez of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Passaic; Stephen McKenzie of St. Joseph Parish, West Milford; Luis Carlos Mendez of St. Peter’s; John Meyer and Russ Raffay, both of St. Michael Parish, Netcong; John Mihalko of Assumption Parish, Morris­town; William Ruane of St. Matthew Parish, Randolph; and Gregory Szpunar of St. Lawrence Parish, Chester.

The Bishop instructed the candidates to serve as “lectors and bearers of God’s Word,” to assist with that mission and to “take on a special office within the Christian community.” He told them they will be “given a responsibility in the service of the faith, which is rooted in the Word of God.”

“You will proclaim that Word in the liturgical assembly, instruct children and adults in the faith, and prepare them to receive the Sacraments worthily. You will bring the message of salvation to those who have not yet received it. Thus with your help, men and women will come to know God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ, whom he sent, and so be able to reach eternal life,” the Bishop told the candidates in his homily. “In proclaiming God’s Word to others, accept it yourselves in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Meditate on it constantly, so that each day you will have a deeper love of the Scriptures and in all you say and do show forth to the world our Savior, Jesus Christ,” he said.

The Bishop invited worshippers to pray for the candidates and then offered his own prayer. After, each candidate approached the Bishop, knelt and placed his hands on the Book of Gospel. The Bishop said to each candidate: “Receive this book of Holy Scrip­ture and be faithful in handing on the Word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of his people.” The men responded, “Amen.”