Eleven men to be admitted to candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Fall River

Eleven men will be admitted to candidacy for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Fall River in St. Mary’s Church in South Dartmouth on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. the Diocese has announced.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will celebrate the Mass during which the admission ceremony will take place.

Assisting Bishop da Cunha, will be Deacons Frank R. Lucca and Deacon Joseph A. McGinley, Co-Directors of the Permanent Diaconate.

The prospective candidates are the eleventh class for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese and have been in the formation program for nearly two years.

Admission to candidacy occurs when the prospective candidates have reached maturity of purpose and have demonstrated other necessary qualifications along with their completion of the required preparatory steps.

During the ceremony, candidates publicly express their desire to be ordained as deacons and the bishop accepts their declaration.

The families of the candidates will be present to join in prayer at this Mass.  

The Candidates have completed a period of Aspirancy during which they were advised of the role of the Deacon, expectations for Formation and the ministry to which they have been called. Deacon Frank Lucca and Deacon Joseph McGinley, as well as other deacons, formed a team with the purpose of evaluating them and their applications.

During Aspirancy, prospective candidates submitted required documentation and along with their wives, participated in psychological evaluation.

They have completed one year of study which included courses in Prayer and Spirituality, Introduction to Theology, Christology and Old Testament. They will continue in three more years of academic and pastoral formation before ordination as deacons.

The prospective candidates and their parishes are as follows:

Paul DeMeo                             St. Joseph Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, Falmouth                 

Peter DeTerra                          St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven

Mark Franzoni                        Holy Cross Parish, South Easton

Juan Galli                                St. Anthony Parish, New Bedford

James Johnston                     St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown

David Lima                              St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton

George MacKoul                      Christ the King Parish, Mashpee

John O’Neill                             St. Theresa Child of Jesus Parish, Attleboro

Marcos Echevarria-Parrilla    Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, New Bedford

Mariano Pimentel                    Holy Family Parish, East Taunton

Joseph Sollecito                       St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton