Seminarian Johnny Burns Ordained to the Diaconate

Johnny Burns of Mequon, a student at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, was ordained to the Transitional Diaconate at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy. The Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, ordained Burns and 28 other NAC seminarians at a 9:30 a.m. Mass on Thursday, October 8, 2009. Bishop Callahan and Fr. Don Hying, rector of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis, travelled to Rome for the ordination.

Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate marks an important milestone in the journey to becoming a Catholic priest. Priestly ordination generally takes place six months to a year after diaconate ordination.