June 8, 2004
Contact: Joanne Ward
Tel: 732-562-2461
   

     Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski to Ordain 18 Permanent Deacons

The Most Rev. Paul G. Bootkoski, Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, will ordain 18 men as Permanent Deacons on Saturday, June 12 during a 10 a.m. Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen.

The ordination represents the culmination of four years of study and service. As permanent deacons the men will be able to baptize members into the Church, assist the priest at Mass, proclaim the Gospel and deliver homilies, witness at marriages, preside at funeral vigils and graveside committal services, and give blessings. Currently, there are 115 active deacons in the Diocese of Metuchen.

Those to be ordained permanent deacons include:

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Michael Abatemarco, 54, of Colonia, will serve in St. Joseph ’s Church, Carteret. Abatemarco is a District Manager for AT&T where he has been employed since 1972. He and his wife, Patricia, have two sons, Brian and Jason and two granddaughters, Hannah and Haley.

Robert Gerling , 54,of New Brunswick , will serve in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Milltown. A vice president/financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, Gerling is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, KidSafecoordinator and facilitator for the Diocese’s Protecting God’s Children program. Gerling and his wife, JoAnn, have four children, Lauren, Taryn, Kaylin and Brannon.

Kenneth Hamilton, 42, of Metuchen, will serve at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen. Since 1994, Hamilton has been Director of Facilities and Services for the National Audubon Society in New York . He is a Past Grand Knight of St. Francis Council 13272. Hamilton and his wife, Nancy, have three children, Kathleen, Kevin and Anne.

Richard Kenton , 63, of Piscataway , will serve in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, South Plainfield , where he and his wife, Marianne are parishioners. Kenton is a Security Manager for Anadigics of Warren.

William Lange , 51, of Woodbridge , will serve in St. James Church, Woodbridge . Lange is an IT specialist with Russ Berrie & Company. At St. James, he is involved with the Youth Ministry, RCIA and CCD programs. He and his wife, Cindy, have two children, Jessica and Daniel.

Thomas S. Michnewicz , 54, of Colonia, will serve in St. John Vianney Church , Colonia. He is a Senior Vice President with the Advance Realty Group. Michnewicz and his wife, Janice, have two children, Lisa and David.

Paul Sheptuck, 56, of Edison , will serve St. Helena Church , Edison . He is a Credit and Collection Manager for Weyerhaeuser Corp., Bridgewater . Sheptuck and his wife, Lois, have two sons, Matthew and Luke.

William G. Stefany , 58, of Manville, will serve in Sacred Heart Church , Manville. He is a computer programmer/analyst with National Starch, Bridgewater . Stefany and his wife, Barbara Jean, have two sons, David and Daniel.

Thomas C. Yondolino , 59, of Matawan, will serve in Most Holy Redeemer Church , Matawan. He is president of Orion Mfg. Corp. Yondolino and his wife, Lynn, have two children, Jennifer and Michael.

Seock Ro Youn , 56, of North Brunswick , will serve in St. James Parish, Woodbridge . He is the owner of Lamp 25. Youn and his wife, Angela, have two children, Alexander and Nellie.

SOMERSET COUNTY

Russell B. Demkovitz , 55, of Somerset , will serve in St. Matthias Church, Somerset . Demkovitz is the Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of Metuchen. He and his wife, Monica, have one daughter, Abigail.

Denis Mayer , 56, of Kendall Park , will serve in St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, Kendall Park . Since 1969, Mayer has been employed as a Physical Education teacher in the Piscataway Township school system. He and his wife, Carol, have three children, Christopher, Anne and Jane.

Conrad Paulus , 57, of Bridgewater , will serve in St. Ann ’s Church, Raritan . Prior to retiring in 2002, Paulus was a staff manager with Telcordia Technologies for four years. Previously, he worked for 27 years with AT&T as a district manager. Paulus and his wife, Jeanne, have three children, Matthew, Emily and Andrew.

Louis Pizzigoni , 47, of Martinsville , will serve in Blessed Sacrament Church, Martinsville . He is Director of Information Technology for Greenwich House Settlement House. Pizzigoni and his wife, Donna, have three children, Louis, Dayna and Francesca.

Roy Rabinowitz , 44, of Branchburg, will serve in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Three Bridges. He is Vice President of Taxation with L’Oreal USA, Inc. Rabinowitz and his wife, Vivian, have three children, Robin, Lucas, and Kaitlin.

Helmut Wittreich, 44 of Somerset , will serve in St. Matthias Church, Somerset . He is president of Scientific Education Associates, Inc., Somerset . Wittreich and his wife, Barbara, have two children, Kristin and Brian.

HUNTERDON COUNTY

Joseph Campbell , 38, of Annandale , will serve in Immaculate Conception Church, Clinton. He is Director of Grocery Sales for Unilever Ice Cream. Campbell and his wife, Joan, have one child, Ryan.

WARREN COUNTY

Walter H. Pidgeon , 54, of Hackettstown, will serve in the Assumption of Mary Church, Hackettstown. He is a communications technician with Bear Stearns Services, Inc., Hackettstown. Pidgeon and his wife, Arlene, have two children, Christina and Brian.

 

# # # The Diocese of Metuchen serves over 500,000 Catholics in Middlesex, Somerset , Hunterdon and Warren counties. The Diocese includes 108 parishes. It serves its faithful through 25 ministries that provide educational, pastoral and charitable outreach.

Back to News