On June 15th Joseph Crothers, a parishioner of St. Augustine’s since 1975, was ordained to the Diaconate at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Deacon Joe has been preparing for this day since 2014 when he entered St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, as an inquirer into the Diaconate Formation Program. Deacon Joe also received his Master's Degree in Theology.
In recent years, Deacon Joe has served our parish as a Certified Catechist, and Eucharistic Minister to the homebound. Deacon Joe’s sacramental journey began with Baptism at Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. First Communion was received at St. Anthony’s in Nanuet, followed by Confirmation at St. Bonaventure’s in Bloomington, Minnesota. Joe is also a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill.
Deacon Joe has recently been hired to serve as the Director of Religious Education for the parish Deacon Joe has been humbled by his call to the Diaconate, and has stated: “it will be a great honor to serve at St. Augustine’s and in the Archdiocese of New York.” Joe has also been quite touched by “the outpouring of prayers and support shown by the parishioners of St. Augustine’s during his Diaconate formation years.”