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Ahead of Tuesday 16 July, Deacon Tony’s second anniversary of Ordination, I invited him to share with the parish his work over these first two years and the areas of ministry he is engaged in. Deacon Tony writes:

 

On Saturday July 6th Giovanni Interi was ordained to the sacred permanent diaconate by Bishop Mark. I was blessed to be in Shrewsbur y Cathedral for Giovanni ’s ordination mass and it was a joy for myself and Sandra to be with Giovanni, his wife Victoria, their family, friends and priests and deacons from our diocese and beyond to welcome Giovanni to the diaconate. This of course now means that I’m not the newest deacon in Shrewsbury diocese!

 

Being in the Cathedral again, brought back many happy memories of my own ordination two years ago, when many of you where there and also at my first mass as a deacon celebrated outside in the field at St Mary of the Angels the day after my ordination. It certainly is a prayerful and humbling experience to have the support of you the parishioners, fellow clergy, family and friends journeying with me, and for that I thank you all so much.

 

Since Ordination in 2022 my service as a Deacon of the Altar, Deacon of the Word and Deacon of Charity has been fruitful and a great blessing for me. Praying and especially praying the Liturgy of the Churches hours has to underpin all that I do, as a servant of Christ. I am most visible to you all as Deacon of the Altar during Holy Mass, but you may not be aware of some other ministries I have also been asked to carry out over the last two years.

 

Visiting funeral families and celebrating funeral services in our churches and at the crematorium and at the graveside.

 

Celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism services, preparing couples for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and celebrating marriage services although only one so far!

 

Spiritual Advisor for the Ellesmere Port and Chester SVP, visiting of the sick and housebound, and shortly after ordination I was asked by Bishop Mark to become the Catholic Chaplain of the Countess of Chester trust and Bowmere hospitals.

 

I work on Thursday in the hospitals, spending the morning at the countess and the afternoon in Bowmere. I work with a wonderful team of extraordinary eucharistic ministers from all of the Ellesmere Port and Chester Catholic Churches. I lead a service in the hospital chapel each Thursday at 10am, distributing the Blessed Sacrament to our ministers to take around the wards after the service with each Catholic patient receiving a visit from one of the team, and Holy Communion offered to those eligible to receive Our Lord.

 

Holy Mass is celebrated on the first Thursday of each month, with the priests of our parishes celebrating for us on a rotational basis. All staff, patients, parishioners are welcome to join us. While in the hospital on a Thursday, there are occasions where I am called by hospital staff to pray with patients and their families and if I am aware of any parishioners in the hospital, I will always try to pay a visit at the bedside.

 

As a deacon I am able to pray and administer viaticum, (food for the journey) for those patients requesting it and the priests are available to administer the Sacrament of the Sick on a rota each day.

 

I produce rotas for our 14 Extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, for our priests, and for our team at Ellesmere Port cottage hospital where our Catholic patients also receive a visit on Fridays. Thursday afternoons are spent in Bowmere hospital visiting the wards and offering support and prayer to any of the patients and staff. All extremely humbling and rewarding service, please pray for all those who are sick at this time in our hospitals, for the staff, volunteers and for the chaplaincy team.

 

I am so grateful for the prayers that I have received during my recent illness and I remember you all in my prayers each day, may God bless you and your families. 

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Please remember a prayer for Deacon Tony - and Sandra, his wife and their family - on Tuesday 16 July, his second anniversary of Ordination to the Diaconate. 

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