Ordinations — Deacon Marquina and Deacon Sicard

Friday, Jul. 01, 2022

SALT LAKE CITY — The Diocese of Salt Lake City celebrated the Rite of Ordination of Deacon for seminarians Oscar Marquina and André Sicard June 24 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, along with the ordination of Father Tristan Dillon. Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at the Mass at which all three were ordained. 

Concelebrants included Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, vicar general; Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus; Father Martin Diaz, rector of the cathedral; Fr. Kenneth Vialpando, vicar for clergy; Fr. Ralph Recker, OSB, pastor of St. Mary Parish at Mt. Angel Seminary; several other visiting priests and many priests of the diocese. The Utah Knights of Columbus provided an honor guard. 

As the ministers of the Mass processed into the cathedral, the ordinands took their seats on chairs placed in front of the altar. After the Gospel reading, the two deacons were called as candidates. 

“Through the grace of the Holy Spirit and the laying on of hands, you have been consecrated to a life of service to the Church,” Bishop Solis told the two deacons in his homily. “Your ordination as deacons is a moment of transition that sets the foundation of your life as spiritual priests. It provides you the occasion to express your love for God, to the faithful ministry of the diaconate, to the ministry of the Word, of the altar and of charity.” 

“As primary collaborators of priests in the celebration of the holy Eucharist, the Church entrusts to you the Body and Blood of Christ to help nourish the faithful physically and spiritually, and to pave their communion with God so they can share with others the gift of Christ’s living and saving presence,” the bishop continued.

Bishop Solis also counseled the two deacons to proclaim the gospel, which requires “openness and reliance on inspiration of the Holy Spirit,” as well as the necessity of constant prayer, study and reflection “so that you may proclaim God’s word and not yours, and preach Christ, not yourself.” 

In addition, he urged the deacons to follow the admonition of Pope Francis to preach with integrity and with joy, “to preach not with your lips, but with your heart.”

Their new responsibilities include ministering charity, through which they will “manifest the love, compassion and mercy of Christ to others, especially the most vulnerable and in need,” Bishop Solis said. “But true charity requires humility. Do not be afraid to get your hands dirty, to nourish the wounded, the pain and the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, to have the inspiration and courage to help people encounter Christ in and through you.”

“For you to be good deacons and faithful priests you must have the heart of Christ and be conformed to his life as the Good Shepherd,” he said. 

After the homily, the new deacons lay prostrate in front of the altar while the Litany of the Saints was sung. While lying there, “I was thinking about all the saints that were praying for us – for all the ordinands – and I was picturing them where I visited their tombs in Rome,” Deacon Marquina said.

The Rite was completed with the Laying on of Hands and Prayer of Ordination. Then Deacons Marquina and Sicard were clad in the vestments of a deacon, and Bishop Solis presented them with the Gospel. Then the bishop and the diocese’s permanent deacons gave the new deacons a fraternal greeting.

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Deacons Marquina and Sicard ministered at the altar. 

This year, Deacon Marquina will spend the summer ministering at Christ the King Parish in Cedar City before returning to the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he is finishing his theology degree, and begin the canon law licentiate, a three-year program.

Deacon Sicard’s summer pastoral assignment is with St. Joseph Parish in Ogden. In the fall he will return to The Catholic University of America, where he has already begun the canon law program. “I’m feeling pretty excited and pretty humbled by just so much support from everyone; I’m excited to be a deacon,” he said after his ordination.