Yasinski ordained to transitional diaconate

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski

SASKATOON — Bishop Donald Bolen ordained diocesan seminarian Daniel Yasinski of Saskatoon to the order of deacons June 1 at St. Anne Parish in Saskatoon — another step on Yasinski’s journey to ordination as a priest.

Parishioners, friends and family, as well as seminarians and priests from across the diocese and beyond gathered for the celebration.
Diocesan vocations co-director Rev. Gerard Cooper presented the candidate to the bishop. St. Anne pastor Rev. Lawrence DeMong, OSB, then provided testimony about Yasinski, who served his internship year at the parish in 2010-11.

“I feel totally secure about his readiness for this ministry,” said DeMong, citing Yasinski’s faithfulness and maturity. “He relates easily to everyone, rich and poor, young and old, prisoners and the sick — (seeing that) all are precious gifted daughters and sons of the living God.” In addition to many parish activities and duties shared with DeMong, Yaskinski’s internship year included dealing with tragic events and grieving individuals, he noted.

“Tonight is a celebration of great joy,” said the bishop. “The world might not see it this way. Someone with great talent and ability — and many possibilities in front of them — chooses to make a lifelong commitment to serve; to be a servant of others, especially those in greatest need; promises to live by a chaste and celibate lifestyle, and to live under obedience.”

In the Gospel of John, Jesus links complete joy with loving one another to the point of giving up one’s life. “This is the joy which comes from having a reason to live, of having discovered and being given a word to proclaim,” said Bolen. It is joy based on a hope large enough to give meaning to the whole world, including “those who are lost, and those who are suffering, those who are trapped in poverty, and those who suffer from illness and grief,” he said.

St. Paul describes a life of discipleship as living in Christ, added the bishop. “Jesus in his dying undoes the power of death, he overcomes all of the things that have led him — and us — to the grave. Paul’s logic is ‘paschal logic’ — the logic of death and resurrection — which is big enough to hold the despair around us, and even in the midst of tragedies, gives us a foundation for hope.”

This way of living is brought to the forefront in the diaconate, with its emphasis on engaging the world and providing service in the face of suffering and darkness, said Bolen. “We can know that God will raise us and the world out of the ashes, again and again and again,” he said. “This gives us the freedom to give ourselves wholly, without worry.”

During the ordination rite that followed the homily, Yasinski made promises of celibacy and obedience. The community prayed for Yasinski as he lay prostrate on the floor before the altar during the litany of the saints. Ordination as deacon was conferred through the laying on of hands and the prayer of ordination by the bishop.

Fellow deacons Colin Roy, who was ordained the night before in Humboldt (see related article), and Gregory Roth came forward to present the vestments of a deacon to Yasinski. The bishop then presented Yasinski with the book of the Gospels.

At the conclusion of the celebration of the eucharist, the newly ordained deacon expressed his thanks to God, to the community, and to all those who have supported him in his faith journey, especially his parents and his brothers and sisters.

This summer, Yasinski will again be serving at St. Anne’s Parish in Saskatoon before returning to the seminary for his final year.