By Dcn. Anusit Chanphen Anthony, SDB

Melbourne, Australia, 6 December 2017 -- With gratitude in God’s love, Don Bosco Formation House Melbourne presented three Salesian clerics to the ministry of service as Deacons for the Church and God’s people. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, DD, Archbishop of Perth, was the main presider at the Eucharistic celebration on the first Sunday of Advent, Saturday 2nd December 2017 at Saint John the Baptist Church Clifton Hill, Melbourne.

The three Salesians: Abilio Eusebio Correia Guterres (ITM), Anthony Anusit Chanphen (THA), and Lourenco Das Neves Soares (ITM) were ordained by Archbishop Costelloe in the presence of Fr John Bosco Dheparat Pitisan SDB, the Provincial of the Thai Province, Fr Apolinario Maria Neto SDB, the Superior of the Vice Province of Indonesia-Timor Leste, Fr Gregory Chambers SDB the Provincial of the Australia-Pacific Province, Salesian Priests and Brothers, religious men and women, the new deacons’ families (From Thailand, Timor Leste, and Brisbane), and parishioners who gathered unitedly and prayerfully to praise God and ask His blessings and grace upon the newly ordained deacons.

Archbishop Costelloe reminded them of the important roles of deacons which are not simply serving bishops and priests in liturgical celebrations and administering the Sacraments, but to be strong and credible figures of Christ’s service for humanity, “the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).” In proclaiming and preaching the Gospel, deacons are encouraged to be the first to practice and fulfill Christ’s teachings. As Deacon Lourenco said to the congregation after the Mass: “we have received through our diaconate ordination the divine mandate to assist bishops and priests in administering the sacraments and to preach the Gospel, so that all faithful can be nourished by the living Word of God.”

The three new deacons would like to thank Fr Philip Gleeson, Rector of the Don Bosco House Melbourne, for organising the preparations toward the ordination to the diaconate in various times and through proper spiritual input. We would like also to thank all our formators and the superiors of the three provinces (AUL, THA, ITM) for the various opportunities to live and to learn many things which support us in growing deeper in the values of human, Christian, and Salesian dimensions.

Please keep our new deacons in your prayers so that they may be faithful in recognising God’s love, in order to be the authentic servants of Christ for God’s people in the world.