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Diocese of Lake Charles
LAKE CHARLES — The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake Charles, ordained Joshua Page to the Sacred Order of Deacon on Saturday, June 4, 2022, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Page enters his final year of formation — a pastoral, liturgical and educational period before his ordination to the priesthood, with God’s grace in 2023. He will spend his Diaconate Internship at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish before returning to Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans for the remainder of his theological studies.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with
Bishop Glen John Provost following the
Rite of Ordination to the Diaconate on
Saturday, June 4, 2022.
(Photo credit: Morris LeBleu / Diocese of Lake Charles)
A parishioner of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur, Page now transitions to the clerical state, meaning he becomes a member of the clergy. With that, comes three promises made for the first time: obedience to the bishop, celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven, and an obligation to pray daily the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the “Breviary.”
As Bishop Provost explained in his homily, “The very word deacon derives from the Greek word for ‘service.’ Our son and brother, Josh, is being ordained to the diaconate. He will be a servant, and all that he will do must be in union with the chief servant, Jesus Christ.”
Succor Parish assists Josh Page with vesting
after he was ordained a deacon.
(Photo credit: Morris LeBleu / Diocese of Lake Charles)
Transitional deacons become more involved in service as they assist the priest with sacraments. Their duties may include presiding over funerals, witnessing weddings, and performing baptisms. They will also begin to preach homilies.
“The true shepherd receives satisfaction because he has fulfilled the Father’s Will, for which the Father ‘who sees in secret will repay’ (Matthew 6:4),” the bishop continued.
“The servants I have known are forgetful of self. They do nothing for recognition. They are virtually invisible,” he said. “In fact, they want to be unseen. They go about their duties with no need for congratulations or thanks.”
After the homily, Page made a promise to be consecrated for the ministry of the Church and to conform his life to the example of Christ, who came to serve and not be served. As the congregation sang the Litany of Supplication (also known as the Litany of Saints), Page prostrated himself before the altar. Then he knelt before Bishop Provost who prayed the Prayer of Ordination over him.
sacrifice of the Eucharist during the Rite of Ordination to the
Diaconate on June 4 in the Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception.
(Morris LeBleu / Diocese of Lake Charles)
The newly ordained deacon was vested by Deacon Patrick Lapoint Sr. of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church. The stole is a sign of the deacon’s office of service, and the dalmatic is the outer garment used in liturgy.
Deacon Page said he is looking forward to serving as a Transitional Deacon “who serves the bishop, and one day a priest for God and His people.” He is grateful to many role models who have encouraged his vocation.
“There have been many priests who have helped me along the way, both in the diocese and in seminary,” he said. “All priests are different, with different strengths and personalities. However, they are all united in the Church with the goal of sanctifying the diocese with sacraments.”
With an expression of gratitude to all the organizations that support seminarians, Deacon Page is thankful for the many prayers over the years. He is especially appreciative to Bishop Provost, Father Edward Richard, Father Nathan Long, the parishioners of his summer assignments, along with Father Brian King and Father Charles Okorougo at Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital.
Page assisted at his first Masses as Deacon on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church.
In addition to Deacon Page’s internship at Our Lady Queen of Heaven, other seminarian summer assignments include Hunter LaRocca at St. Theodore Catholic Church, Moss Bluff; Philip Seilhan at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, Sulphur; Liam Leonard at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; and Michael DesOrmeaux at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Sulphur.
Before the final blessing, Deacon George Stearns, Diocesan Chancellor, announced several pastoral assignments.
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For the complete text of Bishop Provost’s ordination homily, visit http://www.lcdiocese.org/the-diocese/our-bishop/homilies/3430-diaconate-ordination-2022
