‘Tonight, I’m ordained as a deacon for my Lord Jesus Christ’

By Catherine Sheehan

It was with tears of joy and gratitude that Vinco Muriyadan thanked family and friends following his ordination to the Diaconate on 30 November, the feast of St Andrew, at Christ the Priest Church in Kingston.

“I stand here tonight with great joy because tonight I’m ordained as a deacon for my Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

“It has been a long journey for me to reach this moment.”

In a moving speech during which he wiped away tears several times, Vinco thanked the many people who helped him on his journey towards ordination, including his parents in Kerala, India, who watched the ceremony via livestream.

“I take this opportunity to thank both of them from the bottom of my heart… My parents have always given the first priority to God, everything in their life. This is the reason they have given their first-born child to God.

“I thank my parents today for their blessing and constant support that they have been for me. There are not enough words to express how grateful I am to my parents for everything they have done for me.”

Around 200 family and friends in Kerala joined Vinco’s parents to watch his ordination on a large screen.

Vinco also thanked Archbishop Julian for ordaining him a deacon “for the people of Tasmania”, and for planting the seed of his vocation to the priesthood during a trip to Kerala in 2013.

At the time, Archbishop Julian had addressed 6,000 young Catholics in Kerala, urging them to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and inviting them to come to Australia if they were interested in pursuing a vocation there.

“One only responded to your call, and that one person is standing in front of you and speaking to you,” Vinco said.

“So, Your Grace I take this opportunity to thank you for your support, love… and prayers. Thank you so much.”

In his homily, Archbishop Julian spoke of Vinco’s commitment in pursuing his vocation to the priesthood.

“Vinco, your steadfast faith and singular focus on becoming a priest has brought you to this day,” Archbishop Julian said.

“There is in your heart a deep conviction that this is the calling God has given you and you have steadily remained true to this calling. Through a variety of trials, not least your health situation, you have remained singularly directed to serving as a priest.”

Archbishop Julian also spoke of the privilege of entering the Diaconate, and becoming “a means by which Christ’s sanctifying work is being effected in the lives of our brethren in the Church”.

“Tonight, as you are ordained as a deacon, see it not just as a fulfilment of your hopes and dreams but as a moment in which you give yourself totally to Christ and freely to the people.

“Let your whole life and ministry be a sacrifice of praise to the glory of God and the sanctification of the people.”

Vinco completed his seminary studies at Corpus Christi College in Melbourne and undertook pastoral placements at Kingston, Claremont and St Mary’s Cathedral Parish in the lead up to his ordination to the Diaconate.

He asked those present at his ordination to pray for him as he continues to serve the faithful of Tasmania.

“Please pray for me, so that like St Andrew… who brought Peter to Jesus, I will also bring people to Jesus through my ministry.”

Vinco has been appointed to serve at St Mary’s Cathedral Parish in Hobart.