Six Ordained In Diocese, June 9—

St Rose Member Ordained As Permanent Deacon

By Shannon Hicks

Six men were ordained to the Permanent Deaconate of the Diocese of Bridgeport on June 9 in St Theresa Church in Trumbull. The men, including Newtown resident Richard Scinto, were ordained by Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Denis J. Madden, at the request of Archbishop William E. Lori, who was installed as the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore on May 16.

A deacon is an ordained minister of the Church, with a wide range of liturgical and ministerial responsibilities. Following 5½ years of participation in The Formation Program in the Diocese of Bridgeport, all six men are fully aware and in agreement with the three tasks proper to the deacon: Word, Sacrament, and Charity.

As a deacon each man has agreed to provide between eight and 12 hours a week in service ministries. The deacon’s role in liturgical ceremonies includes administering baptism; witnessing and blessing marriages; officiating at wakes, funeral and burial services; administering sacramentals, and presiding at prayer services. Deacons also distribute Holy Communion, proclaim the Gospel, and preach the homily and assist at Mass.

 “The deacon, like the Church, is a sign of God’s love to man. Through his love of family, his profession and his service, the deacon gives reassurance to all that God and men are not strangers but friends,” Archbishop Lori said in a press release. “It is a wonderful day for the men, their families, parishes and the entire community. It’s truly a time to celebrate.”

Mr Scinto, 48, is a tool and die maker. He also refurbishes and restores classic cars in his spare time. He is a member of the US Marine Reserves.

Born in Milford, he attended Elizabeth Shelton Elementary School in Shelton; Shelton Intermediate School, Shelton High School, Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, and Bridgeport Engineering Institute in Fairfield, where he earned a certificate in tool and die making.

He and his wife, Terri Lynn, have two daughters, Carolanne and Charlotte. The family are members of St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church.

Mr Scinto’s Mass of Thanksgiving was on Sunday, June 10, at St Rose. He was vested by Father Joseph Karcinski, parochial vicar of St Jude Parish in Monroe. Monsignor Robert Weiss, pastor of St Rose, was the celebrant, and Mr Scinto was the homilist for the noon Mass. A reception then followed in St Rose’s Gathering Hall.

“That was a nice day,” Mr Scinto said last week. “It was kind of in my honor, but Mass is always in Christ’s honor.”

Mr Scinto says that while he felt “a bit of a calling” toward a life dedicated only to the Church when he was 14, when Pope John Paul II was his hero, he then “kind of fell out of faith.” He had been raised in the Catholic faith, but it was not until 2004 that he and his wife returned to the Church. When they adopted their first daughter, however, they decided it was important to have her raised in the Catholic faith as well. The Scintos went through the necessary steps and during Easter Vigil 2005, Richard and Terri Lynn were both formally received back into the Church.

“I went ballistic,” Mr Scinto recalled. “I just couldn’t get enough. The Knights of Columbus, anything that needed to be done, I volunteered.”

Also ordained on June 9 were Guillermo Bernal, age 60, William Miranda, 56, and Rafael Regus, 60, all of Bridgeport; Thomas Fekete, 58, of Stratford; and Eduardo Rodrigues, 64, of Riverside.

Current Church law requires a man to be at least 35 years of age at the time of his ordination as deacon. Candidates in the diocese must be between the ages of 31 and 60 years of age at the time they enter the program.

“I think I am the third or fourth youngest deacon in the diocese,” said Mr Scinto. “The average age of deacons is the mid-50s. Because of the time and sacrifice, it can be very hard on young families.

“This is something you are just called to do. It’s not something you look for,” he said. “It takes a toll on the family, all of the time [for the Formation Program], and my wife sacrificed for me. But what the Lord wants the Lord gets, and we are extremely blessed.”

“Richard is a really story about a man who has found his faith, and in finding faith has committed himself to the Church,” Monsignor Robert Weiss said June 20. “Rick is very much a man of the heart and soul. He has a great mind for theology and scripture, and he has a strong desire to help others find the same faith.”

Mr Scinto joins Don Naiman, Daniel O’Connor, and Norm Roos as deacons at St Rose Church. Kenneth Stroud, who was the first deacon at St Rose, remains the church’s deacon emeritus.

While he did not have any sacraments scheduled as of last week, Mr Scinto said he was approached immediately following his ordination by a couple who want him to do a baptism for them.

“They came to me right after Mass and said they would like me to baptize their grandchild, who is due next month,” he said. “Of course, we’ll have to get the okay from the child’s parents,” he added with a laugh.

Performing his first marriage ceremony is something he is also looking forward to.

“It’s a joyous event, and always wonderful to see people so in love,” said Mr Scinto. “I can’t wait for the first one. Just being witness to special moments in people’s lives, I feel very honored.

“It’s important to remember,” he continued, “Christ is the one who brings people together. I am just there to witness it.”