Ordination Mass set for Saturday

Men from three different countries are scheduled to be ordained at a special Mass at 10 a.m. Dec. 15 at St. Paul Cathedral.
Deacon Juan-Sebastian Sanchez Guzman, from Colombia, is to be ordained a priest. He said his mother, Luz Elena Guzman, is to come from Colombia and stay through Christmas.
Vijaya Sagar Gundiga, expected to be the first person from India to be ordained for the Worcester Diocese, is becoming a transitional deacon, preparing for priesthood. He said seven Indian priests are scheduled to participate in the Mass.
Also to become a transitional deacon is Thiago Moises Da Silva, the second Brazilian to be ordained for the diocese. (The first was Father Mateus Souza, ordained a priest in 2015, and now associate pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Milford.)    
Following the ordination Mass there is to be a light reception in the cenacle on the lower level of the cathedral. It is being hosted by the Serra Clubs North and South, with assistance from the Knights of Columbus Council 13575 of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. All are welcome to attend the Mass and reception.
The ordination can be watched live on the diocesan website, www.worcesterdiocese.org, by clicking on the Livestream link.
Following are brief biographies of the men being ordained.

Deacon Juan-Sebastian Sanchez Guzman
    
Deacon Sanchez was born Aug. 29, 1988, in Itagüí, Antioquia, Colombia. He studied and received formation with the Yarumal Missionaries, attended the Missionary Institute of Anthropology in Medellín and got his bachelor’s in theology from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín.
He came to the United States in 2014 to study for the priesthood in the Worcester Diocese. He studied English at Clark University, received formation at Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies in Worcester and completed his studies St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore in January and graduated with his class in May.
He was ordained a transitional deacon in June.
He has been serving at Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Leominster.
During his formation his assignments were at Our Lady of the Lake and the following parishes: St. Joan of Arc, Worcester; Good Shepherd, Linwood; St. Augustine, Millville; St. Patrick, Rutland and Annunciation, Gardner.
Vesting him at ordination is Father Lawrence J. Esposito, pastor of Good Shepherd and St. Augustine’s.
The new priest is to celebrate Masses of Thanksgiving at 4 p.m. Dec. 15 at Good Shepherd and 11:45 a.m. Dec. 16 at Our Lady of the Lake, with a public reception after each. On Dec. 30 he is to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving in his hometown of Caldas in Antioquia, Colombia.


Vijaya Sagar Gundiga

Mr. Gundiga, son of Joji Gundiga and Innashamma Gundiga, was born Aug. 14, 1988 in Govindapuram, Telangana, India.
He got his bachelor of arts in psychology, journalism and English literature at the University of Bangalore in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, and taught English for a few months.
He joined the Augustinians of the Assumption in Manila, Philippines, where he finished his philosophy studies at St. Camillus College Seminary. The Assumptionists brought him to Worcester, where he did his novitiate year from 2013-2014 and studied theology at Assumption College and St. John Seminary in Brighton.
Desiring to be a diocesan priest, he applied to the Worcester Diocese and continued his theological studies at St. John’s.
His parish assignments here were at St. George’s in Worcester and St. Gabriel, the Archangel in Upton.
Mr. Gundiga said his brother was unable to get a visa to come to his ordination from India. But, he said, seven Indian priests from his village or state, who are serving in the United States, are to come. So are supporters from parishes here and local Assumptionists and Religious of the Assumption. Assumptionist Father Richard Lamoureux, vice president for mission at Assumption College, is to vest him.
His Masses of Thanksgiving are at 5 p.m. Dec. 15 at St. Gabriel’s and at 11 a.m. Dec. 16 at St. George’s, with a reception afterwards.
He is to serve Christmas Mass in his hometown, Govindapuram.
Thiago Moises Da Silva

Mr. Da Silva, son of Paulo dos Santos and Selma Maria da Silva dos Santos, was born Aug. 31, 1983 in Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
He studied at Vale Do Rio Doce University in Governador Valadares and earned a philosophy degree from there in 2004. He studied theology at Our Lady of the Rosary Seminary in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, then taught philosophy in public school and was a director in a shelter for poor children.
In 2014, he returned to his home diocese as a seminarian. Father Adriano Lessa, a friend and former classmate serving Brazilians in the Worcester Diocese, introduced him to Bishop McManus and he was invited to discern a vocation here in 2015.
He studied English at Clark University and received formation at Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies. He is finishing his studies at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.
His assignments in the Worcester Diocese were at the following parishes: St. Mary of the Assumption, Milford; St. Cecilia, Leominster, and Annunciation, Gardner.
He said no family members from Brazil are coming to his ordination, but he expects his “second family” in the United States will be there. Vesting him is Deacon Stephen Kohut, who he said is like a father to him. Deacon Kohut serves at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Worcester.
On Dec. 15 the new deacon is to serve at Masses at Saint Mary’s in Milford: in English at 4 p.m. and in Portuguese at 7 p.m. A reception is to follow the 7 p.m. Mass.
On Dec. 22 he is to serve a Mass of Thanksgiving at his home parish, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Fernandes Touririnho, Minas Gerais, Brazil.