Last December 27, 2021, on the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, our very own Br. Joseph Le Tuan Phuoc Thien, AA was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons through the laying on of hands by the Most Reverend Guillermo D. Afable, DD, Bishop of Digos in Divine Mercy Apostolic Center (DMAC). The Mass was concelebrated by two Assumptionist priests, Rev. Fr. Jay Hector Lituañas, AA, and Rev. Fr. Cristopher Quiñal, AA, together with other diocesan and religious priests in the Diocese. Among the attendees are the different consecrated men and women, the Divine Mercy devotees, the staff and the different ministries of the apostolic center and of the diocese, guests from different parishes, and the faithful churchgoers of DMAC.
This is the first diaconate ordination of the congregation in the newly established Saint Augustine Community in Digos City, as well as the first ordination in DMAC. This event is a good example of the collaboration between the diocese and the congregation. The diocese, directly or through DMAC, provided strong support on the liturgy, volunteers, logistics, food, and live streaming, while the congregation handles most of the finances and coordination among different groups.
Rev. Joseph is a Vietnamese Assumptionist assigned here in the Philippines where he finished his theological studies. His apostolate includes helping other Vietnamese here in the Philippines in their English studies through the Assumption Language College, finding donors for the different charity programs of the Territory, and at present is part of the St. Augustine community. Truly, the event was momentous and reflects the hope of both the congregation and DMAC to grow and deepen in its service to the Church in building the Kingdom.
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