One day after his solemn profession, Friar Edgar VARELA, a member of the Province of Our Lady of the Angels in the USA, took the next step on his Franciscan journey to the priesthood when he was ordained to the deaconate by our confrere, the Most Reverend Michael T. MARTIN, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It was the first time Bishop MARTIN had ordained a Conventual Franciscan since being appointed a bishop by Pope Francis in 2024. The Mass took place on May 3, 2025, at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, Maryland, USA. It was rich in Spanish music while the spoken Word alternated between Spanish and English.
The principal concelebrants included the Minister Provincial, Friar Michael HEINE; the Vicar Provincial, Friar Gary JOHNSON; and the Prefect of Formation, Friar John KOZIOL. Friar Franck Lino SOKPOLIE served as a deacon. Music was provided by members of the Blessed Sacrament Parish Church in Burlington, North Carolina, where Friar Edgar has been serving. A large contingent of parishioners from that church made the five-hour drive from North Carolina to Ellicott City to attend the ordination.
Delivering the first part of his homily in Spanish, Bishop MARTIN said, “Es un gran honor para mí estar con ustedes hoy para celebrar este gran momento en la vida de la Iglesia, de la Orden Franciscana y, en especial, de la familia VARELA” (It is a great honor for me to be with you today to celebrate this great moment in the life of the Church, the Franciscan Order, and especially the VARELA family).
In English, he said, “Today, Edgar is called by the Church to make a lifetime commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In every place he goes, and in every moment of his life, people need to see and come to know Jesus. So, Jesus is ordaining him to be His presence so that everyone will come to know the Father.”
Church. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “As ministers of Word, deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church’s resources to meet those needs. Deacons are also dedicated to eliminating the injustices or inequities that cause such needs.”
As he reflected on his diaconal ordination, Friar Edgar said, “This is a call to service, a call to go out into the peripheries to serve the lowly, the poor, and afflicted, anyone in the margins. It is a blessing for me to share this ministry with my brother deacons and all the Franciscan friars.”
At the end of the Mass, Friar Michael thanked Friar Edgar for saying “yes” to his Franciscan vocation. “Continue to preach,” he said. “Preach by your words, certainly, but also by your example.” He noted that the deacon’s stole is tied to the side, “The purpose is that nothing will get in your way serving at table or bowing down and washing feet. Remember, as a friar deacon, that is your role: to be a servant.”
Friar Edgar will soon begin his diaconal ministry at St. Stanislaus Basilica in Chicopee, Massachusetts, USA.
Kevin A. KEENAN, Director of Communications
