The Mass with the Rite of Ordination will be streamed live via facebook.com/StCharlesSem/ and https://vimeo.com/event/2470138.
Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, D.D., Archbishop of Philadelphia, will be the principal celebrant and homilist at Mass with the Rite of Ordination of Transitional Deacons from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.
Saturday, May 10, 2025
10:00 a.m.
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Ordination to Transitional Diaconate is one of the final steps prior to Ordination to the Priesthood. Transitional Deacons serve in parishes for one year as they complete their studies along with other elements of the program of priestly formation.
The Rite of Ordination will take place during Mass following the Liturgy of the Word.
Those being ordained as Transitional Deacons are listed below in alphabetical order.
- Charles H. Cappelli, son of Carl and Susan Cappelli, is a native of Doylestown (Bucks County); .
- Thomas G. Cipolla, son of Daniel and Elena Cipolla, is a native of Jenkintown (Montgomery County);
- Declan J. Cole, son of Quentin and Mary Cole, is a native of Southampton (Bucks County);
- Alexander B. Cross, son of Daniel and Stephanie Cross, is a native of Souderton (Montgomery County);
- Dominic W. Mirenda, son of Theodore and Deborah Mirenda, is a native of Downingtown (Chester County);
- Jude Ugochukwu Opara, son of John and Florince Opara, is a native of Nigeria; and
- Griffen T. Schlaepfer, son of Robert and Joann Schlaepfer, is a native of Danbury, Connecticut.
In addition to these seven men, Archbishop Pérez will ordain Jude Arkesh Ragel and Pasquelge Don Sandun Tharuka from the Archdiocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka as Transitional Deacons.
Thanks to the generous support of the Catholic Charities Appeal, the Mass will be streamed live via the Archdiocesan Vimeo Channel (https://vimeo.com/event/2470138) and Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary’s Facebook page (facebook.com/StCharlesSem/) beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Please contact Daniel Kearns with any technical concerns regarding the live stream coverage at 215-888-0305 (cell).
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Editor’s Note: Please contact the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Communications at [email protected] to request official photographs of those being ordained to the Transitional Diaconate.
Background on Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary
Founded in 1832, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary has been forming men for priestly service in the Catholic Church for more than 193 years. With a current enrollment of 139 seminarians, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is one of the largest seminaries in the country. In 2024, the seminary relocated to Lower Gwynedd Township. The Lower Gwynedd campus helps to augment the seminary’s formation programs with updated technology, improved services, and modern facilities. For more information on Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, call 610-667-3394 or visit www.scs.edu, Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Instagram or YouTube.
About the Catholic Charities Appeal
The Catholic Charities Appeal (CCA) is the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s single most important fundraiser, supporting nearly a million people each year through countless organizations and ministries across the Archdiocese. Since its founding in 1958, the Catholic Charities Appeal has remained steadfast in its mission to serve those in need throughout Philadelphia and the four surrounding counties – offering vital assistance and renewed hope to one in every five people in our region. Gifts made to the CCA provide essential support to beneficiaries grouped into five key areas: Social Services, Evangelization, Special Education, Mission Parishes, and Retired and Infirm Priests.
To learn more or to support the Appeal, please visit www.catholiccharitiesappeal.org/.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
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Contact:
Kenneth A. Gavin
Chief Communications Officer
215-587-3747 (office)