German ordained to Diaconate for Perth

By Bridget Spinks
Archbishop Barry Hickey ordained Thomas Zureich to the Diaconate for Perth Archdiocese on 24 February at Our Lady of the Mission parish, Whitford. In his homily, Archbishop Hickey stressed that the first lesson anyone in Holy Orders must learn is to be of service to those in need, to those who are hungry, both physically and spiritually.

Newly-vested Deacon Thomas Zureich kneels before Archbishop Barry Hickey during the Rite of Ordination to the Diaconate. Deacon Zureich is now one of eight transitional deacons journeying towards ordination to the priesthood in Perth, signalling strong continuing interest in priestly vocations in WA. Photo: Bridget Spinks

He said that those who receive the gifts of Holy Orders and the priesthood are not to lord it over others but to serve, following the example of Jesus Christ who washed the soiled feet of the Apostles and said He wanted them to do the same. “Service is fundamental, otherwise it’s the way of the world,” Archbishop Hickey said.
As a Deacon, Thomas will be called to baptise, to assist the celebrant of Mass, assist with the distribution of Holy Communion and take Holy Communion to the sick and to assist the Bishop in a special way. But he is also called to be of service.
“One of the tasks of the Deacon is to preach the Word of God; to offer the Good News to those who are hungry for it,” he said.
Archbishop Hickey also stressed that the Deacon is to offer the Good News of Salvation to those who need it most, the sheep without a shepherd.
The Deacon needs to understand when he is preaching that what he is offering is the Word of God which is the nourishment of people’s spiritual needs. “Salvation is all about liberating people from oppression, from evil, from violence, from all the things that crush them, that hold them back; and that is material and spiritual. Sometimes it is the result of one’s own sins … or it could be the result of the sins of others. There’s so much oppression, so much trafficking of women, so much child abuse, so much harm done by the sins of others,” he said.
“The Deacon is to preach not just to the converted – or even just to those like all of us on the way to conversion – but to those who have not heard the Good News of Salvation, that they can be lifted up. The world is full of them,” he said.
Thomas joins eight transitional Deacons in the Perth Archdiocese who are on their way to the priesthood. Five of these will be ordained to the priesthood on 4 March at St Mary’s Cathedral.