A former crime scene investigator, a Georgia Tech math professor and a first-degree Tae Kwon Do black belt are among those in the varied class of 13 men Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory ordained to the permanent diaconate Feb. 10 at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

A massive crowd packed the Cathedral for the ordination, which was concelebrated by more than 30 priests, including pastors from many of the parishes where the new deacons will serve. More than 50 deacons assisted at the ordination of their brother deacons.

A sense of great anticipation filled the air during the procession, when the 13 candidates walked in, bowed toward the altar and joined their families in the pews. The class of 2007 included John J. Barone, Stephen G. Demko, Stanley B. Ford, Robert J. Gregerson, Gregory R. Ollick, Gayle P. Peters, William Bruce Reed Jr., Etienne Fco. Rodriguez, William H. Simmons III, Scott A. Sparks, Thomas L. Stonecipher, Froilan (Allen) V. Underwood and James H. Williams.

The men were called the “survivors” by Deacon Loris Sinanian, director of deacon formation, as their class originally included 24 men. Some in the class moved out of state because of job changes, and others discerned the call to the diaconate was not for them, Deacon Sinanian said. Two members of the class died in 2003—Michael McCloy, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack, and Deacon William MacDonald Jr., who was ordained early because he was suffering from the progression of ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Feb. 10 Mass was a celebration and solemn moment for the 13 new deacons. Ordination was the culmination of five years of discernment, intense study, growing ministerial responsibilities and spiritual formation.

The class is made up of men with varying charisms and who are uniquely different, Deacon Sinanian said. They will serve in 12 different parishes. Five entered the Catholic Church as adult converts.

As Jesus said in the Gospel, the “harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” Archbishop Gregory observed in his homily. Just as the land needs farmers who gently care for her, so does the church.

“The Church herself needs workers for this harvest of souls. But we need many different types of laborers as does the ordinary farmer’s field,” he said. “We need people who gently pluck the fruit from the vine in a labor-intensive manner. We need people to box the newly picked produce and make sure that it is carefully stored until it arrives at its ultimate destination. We need people to stack the yield that the Lord gives us. In short, we need many different types of people to bring in the harvest! And so it is with the Church of Christ today.”

The new laborers for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the archbishop said, are already active in the vineyard, ministering to the people of the church in various ways.

“Now today, these men, our brothers, are to be given a share in the Sacrament of Holy Orders so that they may increase the dedication of the Church to the gathering of the harvest of souls.”

Deacons are the church’s primary servants of charity, Archbishop Gregory reminded the men, and therefore must minister to those often neglected.

“Deacons must make it their special charism to seek out those who so often fall from the vision and the interest of the world.”

He encouraged the men to immerse themselves in the Gospel, which they are to preach, and most of all to be men of prayer.

“Pray first and foremost for your own families who sustain your ministry through their love and devotion to you,” he said. “Pray that your marriages and family life will deepen and grow even more faithful to the Sacramental promises that you made many years before this day.”

He also reminded them to help the priests of the diocese perform their liturgical duties and to continue the tradition of joining with their bishop to reach out to the poor.

“May we become colleagues in the service of all those who belong to Christ in the Archdiocese of Atlanta,” Archbishop Gregory said. “Together may we gather in the rich harvest that the Lord has already planned for North Georgia so that nothing of God’s bounty will be lost in these 69 counties that comprise this local Church.”

During the rite of ordination, the candidates promised “respect and obedience” to the archbishop and his successors and resolved to be faithful to commitments to prayer and service to the church. They then prostrated themselves along the church’s center aisle. Following this, each knelt before Archbishop Gregory who ordained them by the laying on of hands. Afterward, they were vested in a stole and dalmatic, and each received the Gospels with the prayer: “Receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose herald you are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”

After the Mass, family and friends gathered in the parish hall for a reception, greeting the new deacons with excitement.

Though formerly a Baptist pastor, Deacon Stonecipher considered this ordination to the diaconate as his first, as the Protestant ordination rite “was not a sacrament.”

Baptized a Catholic, Deacon Stonecipher was born to a non-practicing Catholic mother and a Baptist father, and was raised in the Baptist church. After attending seminary, he served as a Baptist minister for 13 years but became disillusioned with the church and with himself, he said. He spent 10 years away from church in general, but eventually found himself back at the Catholic Church.

“Because I had the indelible mark of baptism, the Catholic Church drew me back,” he said.

Deacon Stonecipher and his wife, Beckey, came into the Catholic Church at the Easter vigil at St. Philip Benizi Church in Jonesboro in 1996.

“Every day is like Easter to me. It’s been 11 years, and I’m still excited (about being Catholic),” he said. “That is one thing I don’t always see in the Catholic Church. We need to be excited about being Catholic.”

Deacon Stonecipher now attends St. John the Evangelist Church in Hapeville, where he and his wife are involved in the OCIA program, and where he will serve as a deacon. His enthusiasm for the Catholic Church is matched by his excitement to be a deacon.

“I have to reflect on (my becoming a deacon), kind of like I did about becoming Catholic,” he said. “I keep finding more and more reasons to love it.”

Father Abel Guerrero-Orta, pastor of St. Mark Church in Clarkesville and its mission of St. Helena in Clayton, where Deacon Barone will serve, said that the deacon is very “organized.”

“I met him nine months ago when I first came here, and right away I saw that he was very organized and always ready to do anything he could to assist,” Father Guerrero-Orta said of the new deacon, a former CSI detective. “I think he’s going to be a very good help for me.”

Deacon Barone is the first deacon from St. Helena’s Church.

Deacon Williams will also be the first deacon in his parish, St. Francis of Assisi in Cartersville. Originally a parishioner at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Woodstock, he chose to serve at St. Francis where there were no deacons.

Deacon Williams came into the Catholic Church in 1996, and credits the RCIA process and the Knights of Columbus with his call to the diaconate.

“Working in RCIA, I really began to learn about Christ, and the more I read, the closer I got to Christ,” he said. “(Being a member of the Knights of Columbus) really taught me about service. You put the two together and you have a deacon.”

Deacon Williams said that because there are no other deacons at St. Francis, he is open to all avenues of service.

“I’m trying to decide what I want to do, but also trying to open myself to the Lord and find out what he wants from me,” he said. “There is plenty to do at the church, but there are also other outside ministries, like prison ministry, that I’m looking into. But if the Lord is calling me to serve just at the parish, then I’ll be happy with that, too.”

Like many of the newly ordained men, Deacon Peters’ first call to the diaconate came from an invitation. Father Leo Holleran, MS, former pastor of St. Matthew Church in Tyrone, where Deacon Peters will serve, approached him about becoming a deacon.

“I was already fairly well active in the parish, but I wasn’t convinced this was a call from the Lord, actually until the … (pre-ordination) retreat. I kind of just thought I would see how far it would go,” he said. “I thought if I didn’t make it through the selection process, then I would know. But I took it one step at a time.”

However, at the ordination, he said, “I experienced the comfort and understanding that the Lord was welcoming me here, and that this was right.”

In an interview following his ordination, Deacon Peters, who serves as the director of religious education at St. Matthew’s, said that people have already started treating him differently.

“There is just so much welcome and so much love. Every time someone calls me ‘Deacon,’ I have to fight the temptation to look behind me,” he joked. “But I am pleased that there is some recognition for the work and for my calling.”

Barbara Barnett attended the ordination Mass in support of Deacon Gregerson, whom she knows from Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta. Barnett recalled a memorable trip to Rome, Italy, with the youth group and Deacon Gregerson and his wife, Terry, who have served as volunteer lay youth leaders at the in-town parish for many years. She said that “the kids loved him,” with agreement from her son Steven, who attended the Mass with her. The new deacon is a “wonderful, inspirational guide and role model for the kids,” she said.

Terry Gregerson stood with a group of friends from OLA at the reception following the ordination Mass, smiling with pride and love. She remembered a worrisome time period about 27 years ago, when her husband wasn’t a practicing Catholic, and she was praying for him. At a Life in the Spirit seminar, she was told “not to worry about your husband.” And 27 years later, she celebrated his ordination to the diaconate as a wonderful sign of prayers answered. With extra happiness, Terry noted that her husband would be baptizing their first grandchild, Damien Gregerson, son of their daughter LeeAnn, the very next day.

Loida Underwood, wife of Deacon Underwood, is, like her husband, originally from the Philippines. In the hubbub of the reception, she shared quietly that they have two sons, one deceased, and have been parishioners at Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta, for nine years. Her husband was “tapped” for the diaconate, and after a period of discernment, he decided to follow this calling.

She has found the whole experience to be “very nice … exciting … scary.”

Deacon Underwood has a ministry with 13 homebound people at a living center in Vinings, and she sometimes goes with him to assist in this ministry.

Leslie Geer, a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta, came to the ordination Mass to support her friend and fellow parishioner Deacon Simmons and found that her “old friend and coworker from Holiday Inn,” Stan Ford, was also being ordained a deacon and will serve at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Kennesaw. Geer has been friends with Deacon Simmons and his wife, Pam, since their children made their first Communions—children who are now juniors in high school. They have taught religious education together and sung in the choir together.

Geer said with joy, “This is so great. … God works in crazy and awesome ways.”

Deacon Reed, who attends St. Joseph Church, Marietta, had heard a quiet call to do “something more” with his beliefs and his faith for years, and in 1999 he began “discussing the intensity of what I was feeling” with his pastor, Father Paul Berny. With Father Berny’s nomination, he was accepted into the diaconate formation program, which he has found to be an “enormous blessing.” He admitted that formation was “demanding and required a great deal of sacrifice,” not only on his own part but on the part of his family and his wife, Joyce, but he also treasures his experiences on retreats and the deacon mission trip to Jamaica.

“Without my wife’s support,” he said, “it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to feel that I could give so much time. … Joyce was able to attend most of the classes with me—this is what I treasure the most.”

Deacon Reed found the whole ordination to be a day filled with emotion.

Deacon Dennis Dorner, director of deacon personnel, “advised us to savor every moment of the ordination ceremony, and that’s what I tried to do,” Deacon Reed said. “The entire rite is so beautiful. The laying on of hands, the prostration, Joyce bringing the vestments forward, and receiving the Book of Gospels were very emotional points.”

Like many of the other new deacons, he returned to his home parish to celebrate Mass with friends and his church community that evening following the ordination. He said, “So many of our friends, parish ministries and the office staff worked hard to make it a celebration of thanksgiving and love. I cannot adequately express my thanks for this. I will always remember every element of it.”

As he watches the men move out of formation and into ordained ministry, Deacon Sinanian said it is not unlike how he felt as his adult children became completely independent.

Preparation for the permanent diaconate begins with one year of aspirancy, where those who have come through the initial nomination and screening process spend 12 months looking at the possibility of this vocation, studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church and emphasizing spirituality.

Following that year, those who are accepted are admitted to candidacy. They will spend four years in progressive deepening of their knowledge of the Catholic faith and in training for preaching and ministry at the altar and in works of charity. Throughout the years, the candidates continue to discern whether this is their calling and, in turn, those leading them in formation continue to discern their suitability and readiness to become permanent deacons.

At last, the time of preparation leads to ordination, Deacon Sinanian said, and the candidates have much to take with them.

“We have to give them roots and then give them wings to fly. That is what we are doing,” Deacon Sinanian said. “They know they have a good foundation. … They know they have been loved throughout the process. … They know they have people they can turn to in confidence” throughout their years of ministry, he said.

“I call them my family. I am their father (in formation), and it is really like that. We are family,” Deacon Sinanian said, “and it is a great experience.”

Deacon John J. Barone

Age: 56
Date of Birth: June 30, 1950
Place of Birth: Copiague, N.Y.
Family: He and his wife Ellen have been married for 25 years.

Education: Associate’s degree in police science and administration; bachelor of arts degree in business administration; master of arts degree in management and human behavior with a concentration in abnormal psychology. He studied forensic sciences at the FBI Academy, completed a physician-directed internship as a mental health counselor, and is certified as a deputy medical investigator.

Work Experience: Twenty-six years of experience as a crime scene investigator. He has worked in the Virgin Islands police department; the New Mexico State Police crime lab; the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy; the San Diego Police crime lab; and the Largo, Fla., police identification unit. He was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Sea Cadet Corps. For 10 years he was a board-certified mental health counselor in private practice. For five years he has maintained facilities at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Blairsville, St. Paul the Apostle Church, Cleveland, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Hayesville, N.C.

Hobbies and Interests: Woodcarving, Native American flute, boating, RV journeys, CSI consultant.

Parish Ministries: Parish council; outreach/food ministry; extraordinary minister of holy Communion; lector; acolyte; altar server trainer-coordinator; fourth-degree Knight of Columbus; ministry to the mentally/physically challenged and sick/homebound/nursing home; Catholics Returning Home catechist; middle school religious education coordinator; hospice chaplain and respite caregiver; adult faith enrichment catechist; liturgy committee chairman; baptism and marriage preparation; Tribunal case sponsor; editor/publisher of diaconate formation newsletter “The Servant’s Voice.”

Particular Ministries of Interest: Hospice and hospital chaplain, nursing home ministry, and sowing seeds of spiritual opportunity for all souls.

Parish Assignment: St. Helena Church in Clayton, where Father Abel Guerrero-Orta is pastor.

Deacon Stephen G. Demko

Age: 59
Date of Birth: Aug. 2, 1947
Place of Birth: Kingston, Pa.
Family: He and his wife Maureen have been married for 35 years and have two children, Stephen and Elisabeth.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. Doctorate in mathematics from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

Work Experience: Professor of mathematics at Georgia Tech from 1973-1990. He subsequently worked in algorithm and software development at Image Science from 1990-2001 and has been a part-time professor of mathematics at Georgia Tech since 2002.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, walking, occasional travel, learning from his children.

Parish Ministries: Teaching religious education classes on the Catholic faith at the Hispanic mission of Holy Spirit Church; liturgy; visiting the homebound.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Hispanic mission, children’s shelter.

Parish Assignment: Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta, where Msgr. Edward J. Dillon is pastor.

Deacon Gregory R. Ollick

Age: 55
Date of Birth: Dec. 31, 1951
Place of Birth: Teaneck, N.J.
Family: He and his wife Janice have been married for 19 years and have two children, Greg Jr. and Kara.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in electronics engineering from Wallace Cook College, Jackson, Miss.

Work Experience: President/CEO of Med-Acoustics Inc., Stone Mountain, since 1978.

Hobbies and Interests: Fishing, running, writing, reading, boating, water sports and travel.

Parish Ministries: RCIA, Catholics Returning Home ministry, adult religious education, human concerns, and the Neumann News parish newspaper.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Catechesis, evangelization and apologetics.

Parish Assignment: St. John Neumann Church, Lilburn, where Msgr. Frank J. Giusta is pastor.

Deacon Stanley B. Ford

Age: 52
Date of Birth: Sept. 1, 1954
Place of Birth: Winslow, Ariz.
Family: He and his wife Diane have been married for 32 years and have seven children, Shannon, Cristine, Rachael, Brandon, Audrey, Rebecca and Austin, and five grandchildren.

Education: Attended the University of Colorado and Colorado State University; completed the graduate business program at Pace University, New York City.

Work Experience: Twenty-eight years of experience in business management, including at IBM and Holiday Inn Worldwide. Currently he is serving as the parish administrator of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw, a position he has held for eight years.

Hobbies and Interests: Woodworking and working on cars.

Parish Ministries: Works with various ministries as parish administrator.

Parish Assignment: St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw, where Father N. Brendan Doyle is pastor.

Deacon Etienne Francisco Rodríguez

Age: 59
Date of Birth: Sept. 28, 1947
Place of Birth: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Family: He and his wife Vilma have four children, Etienne, Vilma, Maria and Karla, and their daughter-in-law, Betsy Santos-Rodriguez.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez campus, and a master of science degree in radiological health from the University of Puerto Rico, medical science campus.

Work Experience: For the past 18 years he has worked as regional industrial hygienist for the National Guard Bureau. Previously worked for three years as an industrial hygiene technician and industrial hygienist for the U.S. Army at Fort McPherson and as fire safety coordinator for Georgia State University for one year. He taught physical science and mathematics for 10 years at the Instituto de Tecnología de Ponce, Puerto Rico, Colegio Universitario del Turabo, Puerto Rico, and Universidad de Puerto Rico. He also has experience as a coal and nuclear power plant design and start-up engineering quality assurance worker.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading and writing both prose and poetry; watching soccer, baseball and football; playing chess, dominos, cards and strategy board/video games. Special interest in current events that affect youth and education, marriage and family, and spiritual and career vocational development. While in Puerto Rico actively participated in Catholic student and Catholic worker youth organizations.

Parish Ministries: Extraordinary minister of holy Communion, lector, assisting religious education teachers and parents with sacramental preparation for first reconciliation and first Communion, first Friday adoration coordinator, and Hispanic ministry.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Marriage preparation and support, Hispanic ministry, Catholic student/worker youth ministry.

Additional Languages: Fluent both in primary language of Spanish and in English.

Parish Assignment: St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro, where Father Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv., is pastor.

Deacon Gayle P. Peters

Age: 63
Date of Birth: Aug. 8, 1943
Place of Birth: Conrad, Mont.
Family: He and his wife Sally Ann have been married for 40 years and have three children, Joseph, M. Michelle and Robin, and two grandchildren.

Education: Bachelor of arts degree from Carroll College, Helena, Mont., 1967; master of arts degree from the University of Texas, Austin, 1969.

Work Experience: Thirty years of work in various branches of the federal government from 1968-1998 including: 1968-1969 for the General Services Administration in Fort Worth, Texas; 1969-1971 for the National Archives—Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, Texas; and 1972-1998 for the National Archives—Southeast Regional Archives in East Point, Ga. He has also served the Atlanta Province of the Marist Fathers and Brothers as assistant provincial archivist from 1999-2006 and St. Matthew Church, Tyrone, as director of religious education from 2003 to the present.

Hobbies and Interests: Organic gardening and writing, including publishing a science fiction e-novel entitled “Taken” through Bosonbooks.com.

Parish Ministries: Extraordinary minister of holy Communion, lector, RCIA facilitator, catechist for parish school of religion, youth group coordinator, and assisting baptismal preparation program. He has also assisted with the parish Seder supper and parish scholarship for graduating high school seniors.

Parish Ministries of Interest: PRISM, the parish youth group.

Additional Languages: College Spanish

Parish Assignment: St. Matthew Church, Tyrone, where Father Victor A. Galier is pastor.

Deacon William Bruce Reed Jr.

Age: 60
Date of Birth: Dec. 3, 1946
Place of Birth: Atlanta
Family: He and his wife Joyce have been married for 39 years and have four children, Robert, Donny, Brian and Jeff, and eight grandchildren.

Education: Marist College and St. Joseph’s High School, Atlanta; bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia State College, Atlanta, 1968; master’s degree in business administration from Georgia State University, Atlanta, 1974. He also served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1972.

Work Experience: Thirty-eight years of work in the field of surety underwriting and management in Atlanta and Columbus, as well as St. Louis, Mo., Dallas, Texas, and San Francisco.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, numismatics, playing bluegrass banjo, golf, and grandchildren’s sporting events.

Parish Ministries: Lector, extraordinary minister of holy Communion, facilitates with his wife a small faith community and Pre-Cana marriage preparation, past liturgy committee chairman, active in Christ Renews His Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Society caseworker, “The Extension” outreach program, and Tapestry of Hope.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Christ Renews His Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Society outreach, Tapestry of Hope, and “The Extension” outreach program.

Parish Assignment: St. Joseph Church, Marietta, where Father Paul W. Berny is pastor.

Deacon William H. Simmons III

Age: 49
Date of Birth: April 7, 1957
Place of Birth: Atlanta
Family: He and his wife Pamela have been married for 23 years and have two sons, W. Ashton and Taylor, and a daughter Mauri.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Georgia Tech and master of science degree in organic chemistry from McNeese State University, Lake Charles, La.

Work Experience: He has worked for PPG Industries as a research chemist in chlor-alkali; Dionex Corp. as an HPLC analyst, trainer; Bronner Brothers as a cosmetic research chemist dealing with formulations, production, manufacturing, and design; Searles Corp. as a cosmetic research chemist dealing with formulations, production, manufacturing, and design; and now with Metrohm-Peak as a HPLC analyst, trainer.

Hobbies and Interests: Computers, cosmetic formulation, home fix-it projects.

Parish Ministries: Liturgy, OCIA, teens, baptism preparation, Pre-Cana.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Any ministry where asked to serve.

Parish Assignment: St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta, where Father Timothy Gadziala is pastor.

Deacon Scott A. Sparks

Age: 58
Date of Birth: Feb. 4, 1949
Place of Birth: Elizabeth, N.J.
Family: He and his wife Pam have three children, Lisa, Lance and Josh, and five grandchildren.

Education: Bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, Calif.

Work Experience: Thirty-six years in the telecommunications industry.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, sports, stamp collecting, and recycling.

Parish Ministries: Trustee of the Knights of Columbus, eucharistic adoration guardian, acolyte, lector and lector co-coordinator, and member of the Parish Council.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Altar servers, community outreach, and environmental issues.

Parish Assignment: St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell, where Father Francis G. McNamee is pastor.

Deacon Thomas L. Stonecipher

Age: 59
Date of Birth: Oct. 19, 1947
Place of Birth: Chicago
Family: He and his wife Beckey have been married for 25 years and have three children, Misi, Bill and Tom, and one grandchild.

Education: Bachelor of divinity degree from Arlington Baptist College, Arlington, Texas, leading to service as a Baptist minister.

Work Experience: Sales and marketing in a mechanical contracting business.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading

Parish Ministries: OCIA, and spiritual director of the Legion of Mary.

Particular Ministry of Interest: Hospital visitation.

Parish Assignment: St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville, where Father Edward J. Thein is pastor.

Deacon James H. Williams

Age: 56
Date of Birth: Dec. 9, 1950
Place of Birth: Bethesda, Md.
Family: He and his wife Jean have been married for 25 years and have two children, Nathanial and Kathryn, and one grandchild.

Education: Attended Columbus Vocational Tech in Columbus, Ga., and Kennesaw State University.

Work Experience: A computer professional specializing in data storage management.

Hobbies and Interests: Marital arts, where he holds a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Tae So Do; building PCs and Web sites; fishing, camping and boating; and the Knights of Columbus where he is a past grand knight and financial secretary.

Parish Ministries: Currently trains altar servers and extraordinary ministers of holy Communion and serves as Mass captain. In the past he has worked in the RCIA program and taught grades four through Life Teen in the parish school of religion.

Particular Ministry of Interest: Prison ministry.

Parish Assignment: St. Francis of Assisi Church, Cartersville, where Father Daniel Stack is pastor.

Deacon Froilan (Allen) V. Underwood

Age: 60
Date of Birth: Oct. 5, 1946
Place of Birth: Samal Bataan, Philippines
Family: He and his wife Loida have been married for 36 years and have a son and daughter-in-law, Dean and Cathy Underwood, and one grandchild. Their son Dwight is deceased.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in architecture from Far Eastern University in Manila, Philippines.

Work Experience: Draftsman, project architect, director, facilities planner for various international architectural, construction and merchandising companies in the United States from 1980 to the present. Prior to 1980 he was the principal in FV Underwood, Architect, from 1978-1980 and executive commanding officer, Philippine Navy Seabees Division from 1975-1977.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading biographies, inspirational stories, historical works and books on different cultures and art; gardening. Plans to further study and practice Byzantine classic religious mosaic art and iconography.

Parish Ministries: The prayer group, liturgy, ministry to the homeless and those with AIDS, ministry to the sick and homebound, the neighbor-to-neighbor group, and the Sunday morning coffee.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Ministering to the sick, the needy, the homebound; the Hispanic Mission of Holy Spirit Church; and Scripture study.

Additional Language: Tagalog

Parish Assignment: Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta, where Msgr. Edward J. Dillon is pastor.