Gulf Pine Catholic

16 Gulf Pine Catholic • June 26, 2020 Salesian Brother and former Pass Christian resident Craig Spence ordained deacon Salesian Brother and former Pass Christian resident Craig Spence, pictured far left, leads a procession of seminarians into Church of All Nations in Gethsemane prior to their June 14 ordination as transitional deacons. At right, the seminarians prostrate themselves before Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Photos/Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem /lpj.org BY FATHER MICHAEL MENDL, SDB NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- Brother Craig Spence was among seven Salesians of Don Bosco ordained transitional deacons in Jerusalem on June 14 byArchbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, Latin-rite apostolic administrator of Jerusalem. The ordinations were celebrated at the Church of All Nations in Gethsemane. Three of the new deacons are members of the province of the Salesians for the Eastern United States and Canada, based in New Rochelle, N.Y. They are Brother Spence, Brother Leonard Carlino of Hauppauge, N.Y., and Brother Steven DeMaio, originally from Sherman, Conn. Deacon Spence, 43, is the son of Marcia Bickford and Chuck Spence and comes origi- nally from Mobile, Ala., but later made his home in Pass Christian. He has a younger brother, Patrick, and a younger sister, Maggie. Craig came to the Salesians as a lay mis- sioner in 2001, serving first at Don Bosco Technical High School in Paterson, N.J., then at Mary Help of Christians Parish in New York City. He was a multi-faceted youth minister and was much appreciated. After a period of discernment, he became a candidate for Salesian life at Orange, N.J., in 2011, made his novitiate in Rosemead, Calif., in 2012-2013, and professed first vows on August 16, 2013. He made his perpetual vows on August 17, 2019. Deacon Craig completed his practical train- ing at Salesian High School in New Rochelle, N.Y., in 2015-2017, teaching freshman religion and being heavily involved in youth ministry, including midnight run, weekly trips to the soup kitchen at Holy Rosary Parish in Port Chester, N.Y., and a variety of monthly oratory-types of experiences for the students. Deacon Craig has completed his third year of theological studies at the Ratisbonne Monastery in Jerusalem, an affiliate of the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome. Scripture is his favorite study. He enjoys living in the Holy Land, where our Christian faith had its beginnings. His apos- tolic work has been with Filipino migrants. This summer he’ll exercise his diaconal min- istry in the Salesian parishes of St. Rosalie and St. John Bosco in Harvey, La., a West Bank suburb of New Orleans. Deacon Craig aspires to live out the Gospel in the years ahead, particularly within the Salesian mission and Salesian community. Have a safe Fourth of July!