It was on the Feast of St. Lawrence, August 10, 2024, that Bishop Alfred Schlert ordained Von George as the newest deacon for the Diocese of Allentown.
Speaking during the Ordination Mass at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Bishop Schlert noted that the date was an appropriate one: St. Lawrence was a deacon and martyr known for his sacrifice and suffering on behalf of the Church.
“It’s so good to see you over there in that Deacon’s chair,” Bishop Schlert said, after Deacon George was Ordained, presented with the Book of the Gospels, welcomed with a fraternal kiss of peace from the Bishop and his brother deacons, and seated in the chair to the right of the Bishop. “Today, you are an example to all of us.”
Deacon George originally was scheduled to be ordained later -- in mid-September along with his class of 15 other men preparing to be deacons. He was ordained early because of his failing health. It was about a year ago – and five years into his six-year preparation for the Diaconate -- that George learned he had an advanced case of pancreatic cancer.
George’s continued preparation for ordination, in a year filled with chemotherapy, clinical trials, and specialized treatments, is a story of determination, perseverance, courage, and love of God.
“We are so grateful to you and your family who have not only supported you in your illness, but in your diaconate,” Bishop Schlert said. “And so, Von, the Lord blesses you today in a tremendous way. We thank you for your sacrifice. We thank you for your suffering. We thank you for your example. God bless you.”
As with the Ordination of priests, deacon candidates prostrate themselves before the Altar as a sign of their submission before God and their total reliance on His grace. The Ordination rite includes a Promise of Obedience, the Laying on of Hands, Investiture with deacon’s vestments, and a Consent of the People when those in the Cathedral – family and friends, priests, deacons, deacon candidates, and the faithful of the Diocese – indicated their acceptance of the Bishop’s decision to ordain George with long, loud, and emotional applause.
Deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach and teach in the name of the Church, baptize, witness marriages, and conduct funeral services. As ordained ministers of the Church, they, like priests, have the obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, every morning and evening.
George, 62, of Allentown, is a member of St. Thomas More Parish in Allentown. He and his wife, Jane, have been married 39 years. The couple has 4 children, Reid, Ellen, Anthony, and Robert. George has four siblings: Vincent, Victor, Valerie, and Vanessa.
He first began discerning his vocation in 2007 while deployed with the U.S. Army in Iraq, he says. To anyone else considering a vocation to religious life, Deacon George has this advice: “Be open to God’s call. The bottom line is pray about it. Let the Holy Spirit move you. If you are not open to God’s call, you will never hear it.”
By Paul Wirth
