Four Saint Mary Seminary students are on track for ordination to the transitional diaconate this spring. Three are from the Diocese of Cleveland; the fourth is from the Diocese of Youngstown.

The ordination liturgy for the Cleveland seminarians is scheduled for 10 a.m. April 18 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost will be the ordaining bishop, with Bishop Edward Malesic in attendance.

Candidates for ordination from the Cleveland Diocese are:

Noah Anthony Furin, son of David and Lynne Furin of North Olmsted, St. Ladislas Parish, Westlake

Sean Christopher Homcy, son of Alan Homcy of Cleveland and Elizabeth Homcy of North Ridgeville, St. James Parish, Lakewood

Jeremy Michael Shafer, son of Jeffery Shafer of Olmsted Falls and Mary Shafer of Westlake, St. Mary Parish, Berea.

The ordination candidate for the Diocese of Youngstown is Arthur Bodenschatz, son of Gary and Nicole Bodenschatz, St. Paul Parish, North Canton. His diaconal ordination is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 6 at his home parish, St. Paul, North Canton.

As deacons, the men will be ordained ministers of the Catholic Church. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served.”

The entire Church is called by Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in a servant-Church, according to the USCCB.

After ordination, each new deacon will be assigned a parish or ministry for the next year as they continue to discern ordination to the priesthood.