Jeffrey Ball, Enrique (Rick) Castro, Ramiro Hernandez, Jack W. Milholland Jr., Roberto Pagán, Vern W. Smith, and Dr. William Soscia reached the altar of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice by very different paths.
Through their passionate belief in their Faith and with the support of their wives, children, family and friends, they arrived to take the of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Venice on Aug. 15, 2020, The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The men processed into Epiphany Cathedral dressed in white albs of a candidate. It wasn’t until Bishop Frank J. Dewane laid his hands upon the head of each candidate that they were officially ordained Deacons. During this moment, in silence, he laid his hands on each man’s head and prayed for an outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The imposition of the Bishop’s hands confers grace and spiritual power.
The mission of the Permanent Deacons of the Diocese of Venice is to: serve as ministers of charity, lead in identifying the needs of others and strive to meet those needs; serve as ministers of the Word, when they proclaim the Gospel, preaching and teaching in the name of the Church; serve as ministers of the Sacrament of Baptism; witness marriages; conduct wake and funeral services; and lead the faithful in prayer.
Deacons Ball of Ave Maria Parish, Ave Maria; Castro of St. Cecilia Parish, Fort Myers; Hernandez of St. Michael Parish, Wauchula; Milholland of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Lakewood Ranch; Pagán of Jesus the Worker Parish, Fort Myers; Smith of St. Martha Parish, Sarasota; and Soscia of St. Joseph Parish, Bradenton, are examples of men who chose to give their lives to Jesus Christ in this unique way, Bishop Dewane noted.
“Your soul has been indelibly marked; be conscious of the change that has taken place within you,” the Bishop continued. “As Deacons you are loved by Jesus Christ in a particular way that comes with a grace from your response to His call. Be the instrument of Jesus Christ in response to that love.”
Bishop Dewane called on the men to be the leaven in the community and to be a pillar in their Parish while calling others to the Faith. “The Lord will give you the words,” he said. “Your life experiences will add meaning to those words and serve you well. Do the will of God from your heart and serve the people with love and joy.”
During his homily, the Bishop also took time to thank the wives of the Deacons for their effort in joining their husbands sacramentally, through marriage, on this spiritual journey. He noted that the partnership they have, and the support from the whole family has helped to shape the new Deacons into who they are today: men of God.
Deacon Hernandez said he was nervous beforehand but felt the presence of the Lord by his side as the ordination progressed. The emotions were most pronounced during the Litany of Saints, when the seven were prostrate before the altar while everyone sang the beautiful prayer. A tranquility then came over him during the laying of hands by Bishop Dewane. “It is hard to describe that moment, but it was wonderful. The joy the beauty of this day is like nothing I have ever experienced. I feel so blessed.”
At the start of the formal Rite, the candidates were called forth before Bishop Dewane by Diaconate Director of Formation Deacon William Ladroga and then they were presented to the Bishop for his examination by Permanent Diaconate Director Father Fausto Stampiglia, S.A.C.
The election by Bishop Dewane includes the following prayer: “Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose these, our brothers, for the Order of the Diaconate.” The gathered deacons, priests and faithful responded: “Thanks be to God.”
After the homily, the candidates came forward, and the Bishop asked them whether they were willing to accept the responsibilities of the ministry: to live in humble charity, to hold fast to the mystery of the faith, to celebrate the liturgy of hours with and for the People of God, and to maintain and deepen their prayer lives. To each question, the candidates responded, “I do.” Then each individually approached and kneeled before Bishop to give their promise of obedience to the Bishop and his successors.
The celebration consists of several parts including the presentation of the Book of Gospels and the fraternal greeting.
In addition to family, many friends and supporters, priests, deacons, Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta and Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, were present for the ceremony. Necessarily postponed from and earlier date due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the celebration was streamed live for anyone unable to attend. A reception followed in the Epiphany Cathedral Parish Hall where friends and family congratulated the men on this special day.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane presided over Mass and the ceremony at Our Lady of Perpetual Retreat Center in Venice where the men were concluding a 5-day canonical ordination retreat.
During the process to become a Permanent Deacon, the seven have received training in theology, canon law and pastoral ministry. In 2019, they were admitted as acolytes to assist priests and other Permanent Deacons on the altar during Mass. Prior to that, they were admitted as candidates when they publicly declared their intention of becoming Deacons and the Bishop accepted them. They were also instituted as readers so they could read the Scriptures during Mass.
Bishop Dewane told Father Franckel that through ordination, he becomes forever raised to the rank of priest in the Body of Christ. With that rank comes great responsibility – to sanctify, to teach, to love and serve just as Christ taught.
The ordination was a bright moment for the Diocese during this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic. All present wore masks and maint
A recent graduate from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Father completed more than 14 years of priestly discernment and formation. He first entered seminary in the Dominican Republic studying to become a Franciscan Capuchin Friar. He spent nine years in formation before discerning a call to Diocesan priesthood in Venice. During this time, he studied in the Dominican Republic and Brazil, eventually earning a philosophy degree from Centro Universitario Franciscano in Brazil.
Along with family and friends, there were faithful from across the Diocese, many from the Parishes where he previously had served. Included among those were also representatives of the Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta, and the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, as well as Diocesan seminarians who served during the Mass.
On the eve of his ordination, a Solemn Vespers was celebrated at San Marco Parish for then-Deacon Fils-Aime. During this prayer service Bishop Dewane blessed the priestly vestments and chalices which were used by the newly ordained at his first public Masses on June 28, 2020.
As is tradition, during the first Mass of a newly ordained priest, another priest delivers the homily. In this case it was Father Jack Costello, Rector of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, who spoke about then-Seminarian Franckel serving a pastoral year at the Cathedral. Father Costello noted how blessed the Diocese was to have a new priest, one who is well prepared to serve the faithful with sincerity and compassion.
At both Masses, which were streamed live on social media so his family and friends could watch from afar, Father Fils-Aime shared how his parents, Voguel Fils-Aime and Philomène Remy, supported his discernment for a vocation to the priesthood. He expressed regret that his mother, who passed away in 2011, was not alive to see him reach his priestly ordination but was confident she was present in spirit and watching over him.
“It is such a privilege and honor to be called by God and I do not have the words to give thanks to the Bishop for the opportunity to be a priest here in the Diocese of Venice.”
Bishop Frank J. Dewane presided over the ordination of Father Carlos in a Rite that was filled with long tradition and witnessed by hundreds Oct. 5 at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice.
“You are called to be that Church as you go out and strive to minister to the people of God,” Bishop Dewane continued. “Be the example of the Good Shepherd and go out and find the lost sheep who have the strayed by being the Light of Christ to others who might be in darkness.”
Father Carlos was then vested in stole and chasuble by Father Gerard Critch, Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples where Encinas had recently served as Transitional Deacon. The hands of Father Carlos were than anointed with the Sacred Chrism by the Bishop, the sign of the special anointing of the Holy Spirit who will make their ministry fruitful.
Next, the Bishop presented Encinas with the chalice and paten which all priests are called to present to God in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. The Rite of Ordination is concluded with the Bishop giving a fraternal kiss of peace to the newly ordained priest, welcoming him into the Diocesan Presbyterate or priesthood. Bishop Dewane introduced Father Carlos to all those present to enthusiastic applause, before all priests came forward to offer the sign of peace.
In addition to families and friends from Argentina, there were faithful from across the Diocese, many from the parishes where he previously had served. Included among those were also representatives of the Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta, and the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, as well as Diocesan seminarians who served during the Mass. Father Carlos was also pleased that a number of priests and fellow graduates from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, many of whom were ordained earlier in the year, were able to attend.
The Ordination was followed by a reception in the Cathedral Parish Hall where newly ordained Father Carlos Encinas was available to greet the public and impart his priestly blessing on them.
He left his hometown in Argentina and went to New York City, ostensibly to visit a friend, but actually to seriously discern a vocation to the priesthood. “I needed to separate myself from medical school and home, a place I lived my entire life. I wanted to focus on this process with my whole heart.”
Throughout his entire discernment process, Deacon Encinas said God was always gentle in asking more of him, showing him signs that he is on the right path. “God never forces you to do something you don’t want to,” he added. “It was at Mass that I would see signs that led me to realize what God wanted from me.”
“This ordination for me is a moment of grace, a time of thanksgiving to God for his fidelity to me,” said Diocese of Venice Seminarian Franckel Fils-Aime, who was ordained by Bishop Frank J. Dewane at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Boca Raton.
The Bishop also encouraged the men to “sow hope and trust in the Lord. You will teach Holy Doctrine to others but must be men of God and examples of living a life of prayer, high moral values and faith. May God bless each one of you for this decision you have made in your life and for your blessedness going forward.”
“They were praying that God would call one of their children to the priesthood, and even more happy because I am the oldest son,” Deacon Fils Aime. “They understand as the Bible says, the first fruit is for God. I thank my family here in United States and in Haiti for their prayers and support.”
