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Thank you for taking the opportunity to log into our Diaconate Office website. WELCOME!

Deacon Gene Neral accepted the appointment as Director of the Office of Diaconal Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in 2003. He is honored to serve our Bishop and you in this role, and he is proud to be part of such a wonderful group of men.

Deacon Gene was ordained in 1985 and was a member of the first class of deacons in our Diocese. He has served the faithful of this Household of God for over 25 years.

We are here because Bishop Joseph believes in the Permanent Diaconate. He has affirmed this by ordaining 41 men to the Permanent Diaconate since his installation as Bishop of this Diocese.

With the ordination of the Class of 2010, we now have 34 active deacons serving our Bishop; four of whom are Senior Deacons. We have three inactive Deacons and six Deacons serving outside the diocese. We are stationed in 33 out of 91 parishes in the diocese. Three Deacons also serve as Catholic Chaplains at State Correctional Institutions, two Deacons also serve on Catholic College Campuses, one Deacon is a Parochial Administrator for two additional parishes and one Deacon is Secretary to the Bishop/Episcopal Master of Ceremonies.

Deacon Michael L. Russo, assigned to Diaconal Ministry at Saint Benedict Parish in Johnstown, is also the Associate Director for the Formation of Permanent Deacons.

In this position he will be handling communication with all those who are interested in or are participating in the Diaconal formation process.

Deacon Michael was also recently named as the Ministerial Coordinator of Adult Enrichment and Lay Ecclecial Ministry for the Diocese.

In this position he will be: directing the programs for adult enrichment, directing programs for those interested in certification in Lay Ecclesial Ministry and directing the academic path for those wishing to enter Candidacy for the Diaconate.                                        

Deacon Michael earned a Master of Arts Degree in Sacred Scripture and Systematic Theology at Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe.  He is a member of the faculty of Saint Vincent Seminary and serves on the Seminary Formation Team.

Miss Joan Noonan has been an integral part of the Office of Diaconate Formation since 1993. She is usually our first point of contact with Deacons, candidates, the rest of the clergy, and the laity of the diocese.

Joan serves as secretary for the offices of Liturgy and Diaconate.

Her dedication to our ministry is obvious by her consistent involvement with our programs of formation, our retreats, our liturgies throughout the diocese and her support of deacons wherever they are assigned or functioning.

As you may be aware, this web site has undergone some major changes recently, and we are planning some additional upgrades with the assistance of our diocesan center web site administration. Our objective is to make this site a primary source of communications from the Office of Diaconate Formation, Ministry and Life to all deacons, priests, religious and the laity alike. It can be a communications link for you to the Diaconate Office for personal e-mail and general information, and it will provide you a database for deacon contacts, calendar of activities, and much more. You can take advantage of the opportunity by frequently visiting the web site for the latest information.

Our work is in progress. Be a little patient and you will see changes and new information on the web site little by little. We are very excited about the potential for this web site when it is fully operational. I will keep in touch with you.

As we move forward, let us always remember to:

"focus on the moment and trust in God's love."