New York: A diaconate ordination service and First Communion ceremonies will be held at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church on Long Island on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 3 pm
Parishioner Brother Moses Puthuppallymyal will be ordained as a deacon that day. This service, which marks the beginning of his entry into the priesthood, is a moment of great pride and joy for the parish, said parish vicar Fr. Mathew Meledath.
Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkat, of the Archdiocese of Kottayam, will officiate. Bishop James Massa, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn in New York City, Rev. Fr. Thomas Mulavanal, Vicar General and Director of the Knanaya Region of the Syro-Malabar Diocese of Chicago, Parish Vicar Fr. Mathew Meledath, Vicar of the Rockland Knanaya Catholic Parish Fr. BP Tharayil, and Vicar of the New Jersey Knanaya Catholic Parish Fr. Lijo Kochuparambil will officiate.
Six children from the parish will receive Holy Communion for the first time during the ceremony. Joshua Chakkalayil, Joel Puthanpurayil, Livia Vattakkalam, Laya Vattakkalam, Neel Thottam, and Nivin Thottam will receive their first Holy Communion. Parish Catechism Director Lissy Vattakkalam, Sister Sanija (SVM), and Sister Alisa (SVM) are preparing the children spiritually for this sacrament.
