Three men will be ordained to the transitional diaconate for the Archdiocese of Baltimore May 27, at 10 a.m., at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore.
Taking the penultimate step toward the priesthood are William Keown, John Martinez and John Streifel.
A Kentucky native, Keown, 46, joined the U.S. Navy in 1989 and studied Russian and Arabic. During his 20-year career, he served tours in Japan and Bahrain as well as stateside and aboard aircraft carriers, submarines and as a Naval Aircrewman, according to a biography provided by the archdiocese.
After his final tour in Fort Meade, Keown began discerning his vocation to the priesthood while a parishioner of St. Paul in Ellicott City. He has been studying at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park.
Keown’s pastoral assignments have included Catholic Community of South Baltimore, the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland, St. Ignatius in Hickory, St. Philip Neri in Linthicum, Our Lady of the Fields in Millersville and, most recently, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Martinez, 31, was born in Puerto Rico, where he attended public schools and began college studies in aviation management, according to a biography provided by the archdiocese.
He moved to Baltimore in 2006 and became a parishioner of St. Clare in Essex, where he began discerning his vocation to the priesthood. He then moved to the House of Discernment at St. Matthew Parish in Northwood for a year.
Martinez is studying at St. Mary’s and has served at St. Joseph in Fullerton, St. Agnes in Catonsville, St. William of York in Ten Hills, St. Margaret in Bel Air, St. Mark in Fallston, Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Highlandtown, St. Joseph in Cockeysville, St. Mary of the Assumption in Govans and St. Pius X in Rodgers Forge.
Streifel, 27, grew up in Boonsboro and worshipped at St. James Church with his family. He went to public school before attending St. Maria Goretti High School in Hagerstown, according to a biography provided by the archdiocese.
Streifel earned bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and economics at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg in 2011.
After he graduated, he discerned his vocation to the priesthood while working in administration for a home improvement company. He entered priestly formation and began studying at St. Mary’s in Roland Park in 2012.
Streifel’s pastoral assignments include St. Ignatius of Loyola in Ijamsville, Our Lady of the Fields in Millersville and St. Ignatius in Hickory, where he spent his pastoral year.