On Saturday, June 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, will ordain five new Catholic priests for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Deacon James Boric, 35, Deacon Andrew DeFusco, 31, Deacon Ross Conklin, Jr., 49, Deacon Joseph Langan, 28, and Deacon Canisius Tah, 33, will be ordained to the priesthood following the completion of their studies. Deacons Boric and Tah attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Deacon DeFusco studied at Catholic University of America’s Theological College, Deacon Conklin attended St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park, and Deacon Langan studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
Deacon Boric was born in Bloomington, IN and has lived in Baltimore since 1994. He graduated from the Indiana University in 2001 with a degree in history and a minor in business. After six years of work in the financial industry, Deacon Boric began his priestly formation in 2007. He has served the poor, sick, and homebound in every parish he has served during his studies and has worked extensively in Hispanic ministry.
Deacon DeFusco began studying for the priesthood in 2007 after he earned a degree in Classical Studies from Hillsdale College in Michigan and taught Latin at Holy Family Academy in Manchester, New Hampshire. A resident of Timonium since 1998 and parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Towson, Deacon DeFusco has served at numerous parishes while studying for the priesthood including, most recently, Resurrection of our Lord Parish in Laurel.
Deacon Conklin is a native of Baltimore and a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Engineering before working in communications engineering for nearly two decades. He began studying for the priesthood in 2007 and has served at several parishes, as well as the Joseph Richey Hospice and Good Samaritan Hospital. Deacon Conklin also participated in prison ministry at the Baltimore County Detention Center and worked with juveniles charged as adults in Baltimore City.
Deacon Langan is a native of Westminster, Maryland, and a parishioner of St. John’s Parish. While a student at Seton Hall University, he entered the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Program for Priestly Formation. Following graduation he began his studies for the priesthood at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy. Deacon Langan will continue his theological studies in Rome following his ordination to the priesthood.
Deacon Tah is one of eight children. He was born and raised in Cameroon, where he began studying for the priesthood at a minor (high school) seminary in 1993. He moved to the United States in 2009 to continue his studies for the priesthood at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary.
The new priests will join over 150 diocesan priests actively serving in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Approximately 500 men are being ordained to the priesthood in the United States in 2014. Approximately one-third of this year’s new priests were born outside the United States.
Media Notes:
The Mass of Ordination is rich in Catholic tradition and very visual: the new candidate for priesthood is presented to the bishop who asks about their intentions and worthiness to be ordained. The ceremony continues with the candidate prostrating himself while the congregation chants the Litany of Saints. Immediately following, the bishop through the ancient sign of ordination confers priesthood by laying hands on the candidate. Each priest present also lays his hands on the candidate. The new priest is then vested in a stole and a chasuble (symbols of the priestly office) followed by the bishop presenting the bread and a chalice filled with wine, which is offered and consecrated at this Ordination Mass, the new priest’s first Mass.
It is requested that members of the media wishing to cover the ordination contact the Director of Communications in advance. Reporters/photographers are asked to dress in appropriate attire. Photographers will be given access via the side aisles of the Cathedral. So as not to obstruct the view of those in attendance, photographers will not be allowed in the center aisle, sanctuary (altar area), or the area in front of the altar.
Media parking is permitted on the side and lower lots (south) of the Cathedral. Media vehicles are not permitted to park on the driveway directly in front of the Cathedral.