New deacons have taken up their responsibilities since their ordination on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta.

There were eight men called as “servant ministers in the very image of Christ Jesus,” as Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory described the ministry.  The new deacons come from varied backgrounds and careers, from a truck driver and public servant to a small business entrepreneur.

Here, you can learn more about the men, their backgrounds, interests and where they will be serving.

Timothy F. Dimond

Age: 58

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C.

Family:  Chrissy married 25 years. Three sons, Gregory, Ian and Russell.

Education: Barry University in Miami, Florida, bachelor of political science with a minor in English; Institute of Real Estate and Management, certified property manager

Work Experience: Deputy director of real estate, Fulton County.

Hobbies and Interests: Photography, gardening, presidential history, fishing, reading.

Service in Parish Ministries: Lector, eucharistic minister and minister to the homebound and sick, sacristan, altar server coordinator, RCIA and Knights of Columbus.

Ministries of Future Interest: Social justice ministries, marriage and family, hospital ministry.

Assigned Parish: St. Benedict Church, Johns Creek.

Favorite Quote: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act.” Ps 37:5

Most Admired Person: St. Paul the Apostle.

Nicholas G. Goodly

Age: 60

Place of Birth: Frankfurt, Germany

Family: Iris D. Goodly, married 32 years. Two sons, Nicholas R. and Jarrett B.

Education: Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, bachelor of science, civil engineering.

Work Experience: Engineering program manager, Federal Aviation Administration,

Atlanta Airports District Office.

Hobbies and Interests: Youth mentoring.

Service in Parish Ministries: Sacristan, chairman financial council, baptism preparation class, coordinator/trainer altar servers.

Ministries of Future Interest: Youth and elderly.

Assigned Parish: St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville

Favorite Quote: “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

Most Admired Person: Abraham Lincoln.

Stephen Gross

Age: 63

Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ohio

Family: Roxanne, married 40 years. Three daughters Ashley, Carly, and Elizabeth. Two grandchildren.

Work Experience: Running a small online business with wife. Previously worked in the corporate world from sales and marketing, an executive sales engineer, a key accounts manager, and business consultant.

Hobbies and Interests: Briefly attempted professional golf, playing on smaller tours.  Played tennis for 20 years around the Atlanta area. Mentoring and coaching.

Service in Parish Ministries: Pastoral care with the homebound and those in assisted living. Adult faith formation and RCIA, Bible study, marriage preparation,  annulment case sponsor, altar server ministry and re-evangelization.

Ministries of Future Interest: Assisting those who have Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Assigned Parish:  St. Mary, Mother of God Church, Jackson.

Favorite Quote: “Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.” -St. Augustine

Most Admired Person: St. Stephen, my namesake.

Facundo Maldonado Amaya

Age: 52

Place of Birth: Mercedes de Oriente, La Paz, Honduras.

Family: Silvia Arely Maldonado, married for 21 years. They have three children, Diana, Lissette and Alexander.

Education: Earned a GED diploma.

Work Experience: Truck driver, owner-operator, affiliate to Universal Intermodal Transportation in Fairburn.

Hobbies and Interests: Serve in the church, and spend time with family.

Service in Parish Ministries:  Eucharist ministry, acolyte ministry, ushers ministry, lector, RCIA, parish Religion Education Program.

Ministries of Future Interest: Deacon ministry, outreach program, parish religious education.

Additional Language: Spanish.

Assigned Parish:  St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, Douglasville.

Most admired person: Father Fernando Molina Restrepo.

Thomas M. “Tom” Nemchik

Age: 61

Place of Birth:  Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Family: Married to Susan for 29 years. They have four children: John, Katie, Melissa and Andrew; and two grandchildren Hattie and Penny.

Education: California University of Pennsylvania, bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education, graduate with honors; University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, a graduate certificate in information resources management. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in US Army and completed advanced transportation and chemical officer, as well as command and general staff officer courses.

Work Experience: Archdiocese of Atlanta, support specialist in the office of information technology. Previously worked as a program manager for AT&T, and in logistics, transportation and warehousing.

Military experience: U.S. Army active duty, 1979-86, stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia; Kaiserslautern, Germany and Fort Knox, Kentucky. Served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1986-2001, retired lieutenant colonel.

Hobbies and Interests: Any family activity, especially with grandchildren. Staying in touch with family in Poland, Slovakia and Ireland. Love to be outdoors, backpacking and tent camping. Enjoy working with my hands and caring for houseplants (some plants are over 25 years old).

Service in Parish Ministries: Spiritual director Legion of Mary, baptism preparation classes for parents, ESL instructor, ministry of care, stewardship council.

Ministries of Future Interest: Bereavement, PATH—Post Abortion Treatment and Healing.

Assigned Parish:  St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro.

Favorite Quote: Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Lk 1:38

Most Admired Person: Earl C. Verigan Jr., major in U.S. Army who taught me how to live servant leadership

Randy J. Ortiz          

Age: 52

Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey.

Family: Married to Donna Ortiz for 30 years. They have three children, son Ryan Ortiz married to Megan (granddaughter Ellie); son Michael and daughter Laney.

Education: New Jersey Institute of Technology, architecture.

Work Experience: Architect and data center design expert helping companies design, build and maintain critical infrastructure. Past entrepreneur having founded for-profit businesses including a publication for the IT and data center industry. Currently employed with Digital Realty Trust.

Hobbies and Interests: Traveling, music, bicycling, environmentalism, drawing, reading and trying new foods and drinks.

Service in Parish Ministries: Altar server guild, youth ministry and missions.

Ministries of Future Interest:  Spiritual direction, faith formation and justice and peace ministries.

Additional Language: Enough Spanish to survive a conversation.

Assigned Parish:  St. Brigid Church, Johns Creek.

Favorite Quote: “Love is shown more in deeds than in words.” -St. Ignatius of Loyola

Most Admired Person: Anyone with the courage to seek truth and love unconditionally.

Guillermo “Hedy” Sevilla

Age: 63

Place of Birth: Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines

Family: He and his wife, Cora, have been married for 35 years. They have two children, Heidi and David, and four grandchildren.

Education: St. Francis de Sales Regional College Major Seminary, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines, bachelor of arts in philosophy. Adamson University, Manila, Philippines, master of business administration (MBA); St. Joseph’s College of Maine, Standish, Maine, master of arts in sacred theology, in progress.

Work Experience: Tailored Brands Inc., Atlanta, accountant. Also worked as a financial analyst/accountant for Bausch & Lomb Inc. and Champion Products in New York. College instructor at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines, and Adamson University, Manila, Philippines.

Hobbies and interests: Playing and coaching tennis. A certified USPTR instructor (United States Professional Tennis Registry), golf, music/choir, playing guitar and reading.

Service in parish ministries: Legion of Mary, spiritual director; Knights of Columbus; Extraordinary minister of holy Communion, acolyte, lector, Habitat for Humanity, homeless men’s shelter.

Ministries of Future Interest: Prison ministry, faith formation, married couples.

Additional Languages: ‎Filipino (Tagalog- fluent); Latin, Spanish.

Assigned Parish: All Saints Church, Dunwoody.

Favorite Quote: “Come to me all you that labor and burdened and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon yourselves and learn from me; I am gentle and humble of heart and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30

Most Admired Persons:  Bishop Fulton Sheen and Msgr. Hugh Marren.

Timothy Joseph Tye 

Age: 63

Place of Birth: Dayton, Ohio

Family: Married to Kimberley for 38 years. Son Sean, 28, married to Alexandria.  Daughter, Brigid I. Tye, 25.

Education: The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, bachelor of science, education.  Project management professional certificate

Work Experience: Ingenious Med, project manager for implementation services of medical charge capture software, working with medical professional offices and hospitals, Atlanta.

Hobbies and Interests: Reading, boating, fishing, cooking and gardening.

Service in Parish Ministries: RCIA, confirmation, Edge, St. Vincent de Paul, Men of St. Brigid, Knights of Columbus, Sacristan, altar servers, lector.

Ministries of Future Interest: Marriage prep, marriage counseling and annulments, prison ministry.

Parish Assignment: St. Brigid Church, Johns Creek.

Favorite Quote: “Actions speak louder than words, let your words teach and your actions speak.” -St. Anthony of Padua.

Most Admired Person: Jesus obviously, but otherwise, George Washington, for stepping down as the first president and establishing for the first time in history, a peaceful transition of government.