ATLANTA—The ten new permanent deacons, ordained on Feb. 3 at the Cathedral of Christ the King, are:

Deacon Jaime Agudelo    

Deacon Jaime Agudelo

Age: 51

Date and place of birth: March 11, 1966, in Colombia, South America.

Family: He and his wife, Ana, have been married for more than 10 years. They have one son, Steven, two daughters, Ana Maria and Alejandra, and two grandchildren.

Education: Colegio Juvenal Cano Moreno in Colombia, South America; graduated with a GED in New Jersey and ESL at Gwinnett Technical College.

Work experience: CDL driver and computer tech.

Hobbies and interests: Music, reading, watching movies.

Parish ministries: Extraordinary minister of holy Communion, altar server, ministry to the homebound, lector and acolyte.

Ministries of interest in the future: Social justice, homeless, prison ministry.

Additional languages: Spanish (first language).

Parish assignment: St. John Paul II Mission, Gainesville.

Favorite quote: “The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt” (St. Ambrose).

Most admired person: St. John Paul II.

Deacon William J. Boyd

Deacon William J. Boyd

Age: 61

Date and place of birth: Jan. 4, 1957, in Atlanta.

Family: He and his wife, Loretta, have been married for 39 years. They have one son, Billy, two daughters, Becky and Lauren, two granddaughters and two grandsons.

Education: Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee, bachelor of science in chemistry; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, master of science in occupational safety and health.

Work experience: Senior vice president for the CNA Companies, responsible for Global Risk Engineering Services; Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, director of membership (at present).

Hobbies and interests: Travel and reading.

Parish ministries: Lector, extraordinary minister of holy Communion, RCIA, youth group, adult education.

Ministries of interest in future: Ignatian Spirituality Project, working with addiction recovery and homelessness.

Parish assignment: Mary Our Queen Church, Peachtree Corners.

Favorite quote: “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).

Most admired person: St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Deacon Edward J. Buckley  

Deacon Edward J. Buckley

Age: 59

Date and place of birth: May 21, 1958, in Brighton, Massachusetts.

Family: Married to wife, Ikumi, for 20 years. They have two daughters, Erinn and Sarah, one son, Edward III and two grandchildren.

Education: Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey, bachelor of arts in French.

Work experience: French teacher and football coach, North Hunterdon Regional High School, Annandale, New Jersey; USMC officer and Navy helicopter pilot; airline pilot, Airtran and Southwest Airlines; Delta 737 flight instructor (at present).

Hobbies and interests: Weight training, reading about military aircraft and equipment, and collecting and building scale models.

Parish ministries: RCIA, CCD, Knights of Columbus, Haiti ministry.

Particular ministries of interest in future: Catholic Relief Services, St. Vincent de Paul.

Additional languages: French.

Parish assignment: St. George Church, Newnan.

Favorite quote: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (Jn 1:1-2).

Most admired person: St. John Paul II.

Deacon Manuel Echevarria

Deacon Manuel Echevarria

Age: 67

Date and place of birth: Aug. 11, 1950, in Havana, Cuba.

Family: He and his wife, Teresa, have been married for 46 years. They have two sons, Manny and Danny, one daughter, Laura Todd, and two grandchildren.

Education: Fordham University, New York, bachelor of arts in Spanish.

Work experience: New York City Board of education, teacher; U.S. Penitentiary, Atlanta, INS interpreter, teacher; Saint Joseph Hospital, Atlanta, teacher; Gwinnett County public schools, teacher (at present).

Hobbies and interests: Travel, photographer, reading.

Parish ministries: Family Promise, acolyte, Cursillo, lector, extraordinary ministry of holy Communion, ESOL instructor.

Ministries of interest in future: Homeless ministry, senior ministry in assisted living facilities, Hispanic ministry, outreach projects at home and abroad.

Additional languages: Spanish

Parish assignment: St. John Neumann Church, Lilburn.

Favorite quote: “Love consists in sharing what one has and what one is with those one loves” and “El amor consiste en compartir lo que uno tiene y lo que uno es con los que uno ama” (St. Ignatius of Loyola).

Most admired person: Bishop Agustín Román, of Archdiocese of Miami.

Deacon David A. Fragale

Deacon David A. Fragale

Age: 63

Date and place of birth: March 22, 1954, in Buffalo, New York.

Family: He and his wife, Suzanne, have been married for 41 years. They have two children, Sarah and Christopher, and four grandchildren.

Education: D’Youville College in Buffalo, with a bachelor of science in nursing.

Work experience: Buffalo General Hospital, critical care nurse and organ transplant coordinator; CryoLife, Inc., helping to develop organ and tissue recovery organizations; Regeneration Technologies, Inc.; Pain Solution Treatment Centers, clinical director and physician liaison; Alliance Spine and Pain Centers, business development manager (at present).

Hobbies and interests: Music, playing several instruments and performing; music ministry at Transfiguration Church and the diaconate program; amateur historian with a focus on Civil War and World War II history; playing cards and making puzzles.

Parish ministries: music ministry, Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus, Family Promise, Eucharistic minister and lector.

Ministries of interest in future: Spiritual direction, hospice ministry.

Additional languages spoken: Interested in learning Spanish.

Parish assignment: Transfiguration Church, Marietta.

Favorite quote: “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words” (St. Francis of Assisi).

Most admired person: Gilbert (Gil) Gilliam, of Nashville, Tennessee, a kidney transplant recipient. Gil exhibited joy and grace in adversity: “Never give up!”

Deacon Richard W. Hogan

Deacon Richard W. Hogan      

Age: 59

Date and place of birth: Oct. 18, 1958, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

Family: He and his wife, Margaret (Cissy), have been married 31 years. They have a son and a daughter, Patrick and Ashley.

Education: University of New Orleans, Lousiana; Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans; Dekalb Community College, Decatur.

Work experience: Martin Marietta, New Orleans, facilities equipment coordinator; Hogan’s Antiques of Tomorrow, Slidell, Louisiana, furniture craftsman and foreman; Bernier Bragg Studios, Atlanta, furniture craftsman, assistant shop manager; Unique Wood Product, Inc., Lilburn, owner; Lightning Auto Glass, Atlanta, manager; Ballistic Studios, Buford, project manager; Oakhurst Woodworking, LLC, Tucker, owner.

Hobbies and interests: Automotive rebuilding, construction/home improvements, camping and backpacking, hiking, canoeing, whitewater rafting.

Parish ministries: Youth ministry, catechist, lector, St. Vincent de Paul volunteer, extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, sacristan.

Ministries of interest in the future: Chaplain to the sick, marriage preparation, annulment caseworker, Hispanic ministry.

Additional languages: Currently studying Spanish.

Parish assignment: St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville.

Favorite quote: “True happiness is not found in any other reward than that of being united with God” (Thomas Merton).

Most admired person: A dear friend, Curtis Allen. He went home to God early yet left a favorable mark on everyone he encountered. He had a great spirit and was a loving husband, a devoted and strong father, a true friend, a very Christ-like person.

Deacon Peter Ranft

Deacon Peter Ranft

Age: 55

Date and place of birth: June 20, 1962, in Warner Robins.

Family: He and his wife, Carol, have been married for 32 years. They have two sons, Evan, married to Katie, and Eric.

Education: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, bachelor of science in accounting.

Work experience: OpenText Corporation, account executive; Hewlett-Packard; Business Objects; and D&B Software.

Hobbies and interests: Photography, sports (Atlanta Falcons), movies, home projects.

Parish ministries: Youth formation in teens and middle school, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Eucharistic ministries, including homebound and hospital.

Ministries of interest in future: Edge program for middle school, prison ministry, formation for engaged couples.

Parish assignment: St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville.

Favorite quote: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one” (St. Teresa of Calcutta).

Most admired person: Pope Francis.

Deacon Richard Q. Schmidt

Deacon Richard Q. Schmidt

Age: 60

Date and place of birth: March 21, 1957, in Kankakee, Illinois.

Family: He and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 36 years. They have three children and two grandchildren.

Education: Parks College of St. Louis University, bachelor of science in aviation sciences;

National Graduate School, master of science in homeland security.

Work experience: Eastern Air Lines and System One Amadeus, Chicago, Boston, New York, Miami, Atlanta, sales, service manager, regional sales director; Worldspan Corp., director of franchise sales; Unisys Corp., project manager for TSA; Computer Sciences Corp., Washington, D.C., Atlanta, regional IT support for TSA (at present).

Hobbies and interests: Reading, Christian music, blogs, hiking, gardening.

Parish ministries: RCIA instructor, dads mentor at the Pregnancy Aid Clinic, overnight shelter for the homeless, Christ Renews His Parish, visiting the sick and homebound, refugee family sponsor, soup kitchen, Life Teen.

Ministries of interest in future: Social justice ministries, marriage and family, hospital ministry.

Parish assignment: Holy Trinity Church, Peachtree City.

Favorite quote: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done” (Mt. 6:10).

Most admired person: Bishop Robert Barron.

Deacon David A. Schreckenberger

Deacon David A. Schreckenberger

Age: 54

Date and place of birth: March 12, 1963, in Buffalo, New York.

Family: He and his wife, Kelly, have been married for 27 years. They have two children, Elaina and Lou.

Education: Buffalo State College, Buffalo, information technology.

Work experience: Tandy Corporation, service center manager; Prince of Peace Church, Flowery Branch, director of operations.

Hobbies and interests: Passionate about cooking, home improvement projects, working with hands.

Parish ministries: Alpha, twinning sister parish ministry (Haiti), youth ministry, hospitality ministry, Eucharistic ministry to the hospital and homebound.

Ministries of interest in future: Evangelization in Christ Renews His Parish and St. Paul Street Evangelization, work with the Greater Gwinnett Reentry alliance.

Parish assignment: St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville.

Favorite quote: “Life is about choices. Some we regret, some we’re proud of. Some will haunt us forever. The message: We are what we chose to be.” (Graham Brown.)

Most admired person: Dr. Thomas Olson, pediatric oncologist, Atlanta.

Deacon James P. Wolf

Deacon Deacon James P. Wolf

Age: 62

Date and place of birth: July 31, 1955, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Family: He and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 36 years. They have a son, Stephen, a daughter Katelyn Elliott, and two grandchildren.

Education: University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, bachelor of arts in English; Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina, juris doctor.

Work experience: Aetna, Inc., regional general counsel.

Hobbies and interests: Music (guitar), exercise, college football and basketball, being a grandfather.

Parish ministries: Music ministry, Knights of Columbus, Mustard Seed Communities, Family Promise, St. Vincent de Paul Society, men’s Bible study, Eucharistic adoration, extraordinary minister of holy Communion, Legion of Mary.

Ministries of interest in future: Sacraments of baptism and marriage, marriage preparation, adult education, RCIA, annulment case sponsorship, ministry to the poor, sick, homebound and in the hospital.

Additional languages: Spanish (un poco).

Parish assignment: St. Brigid Church, Johns Creek.

Favorite quote: “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” (St. Augustine of Hippo.)

Most admired person: St. John Paul II.