Deacon Anthony Shumway: "This is an amazing thing"

Intermountain Catholic

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Deacon Shumway returns to his seat after being ordained by Bishop Oscar A. Solis in the Cathedral of the Madeleine on July 30.

SALT LAKE CITY — Seminarian Anthony Shumway was ordained a transitional deacon by Bishop Oscar A. Solis at the Cathedral of the Madeleine on June 30. In the same ceremony, Deacons Oscar Marquina and André Sicard were ordained to the priesthood.

During his homily prior to the ordination rites, Bishop Oscar A. Solis had special words for Deacon Shumway.

“Anthony, you are one of our blessings to be ordained a deacon in preparation for your ordination to the priesthood,” he said.

A deacon is a servant, one who has been called to serve the poor; this has been so since the early Christian Church, the bishop said. “A deacon is – and you will be – a sacramental sign and an icon of Christ the servant, who came to serve and not to be served. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit and by the laying on of hands, you will be consecrated to a life of service in the Church: the triple ministry of the Word, at the service of the Eucharist, and works of charity.”

Bishop Solis encouraged Deacon Shumway to pray always and study so that he could serve others unselfishly. “Immerse your life and ministry in union with Christ, where you can draw on the power of his grace to carry out his mission so that you will be ready to share with others the Word of God and the Eucharist you have received with such joy in your heart. Bring with you the love and mercy of God to the sick, the incarcerated and the needy.”

“Most of all, never forget to ‘Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and put into practice what you teach,’” Bishop Solis said, quoting from the ordination rite.

“The bishop’s homily really touched my heart a lot,” Deacon Shumway said in an interview with the Intermountain Catholic later.

During the ceremony as he lay prostrate on the altar, Deacon Shumway was also moved by the prayers of the faithful on his behalf, he said. “When I was laying on the ground during the litany of the saints, all I could think of was ‘Everybody here is praying for me just like all these saints are praying for me.’ Thanks be to God for this day; this is an amazing thing.”

Deacon Shumway, whose home parish is St. Martin de Porres in Taylorsville, has been assigned to St. Joseph Parish in Ogden for the summer; in the fall he will return to Mt. Angel to continue his education. He is scheduled to be a priest for the Diocese of Salt Lake City in June 2024.