Cardinal Wilton Gregory ordained 12 men as permanent deacons for The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington during a June 3 Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. A link to the ordination Mass can be found at the end of this article. The following biographies of the new deacons were provided to the Catholic Standard by the archdiocesan Office of the Permanent Diaconate:
Deacon Emmanuel A. Abongwa is a parishioner at Holy Family Parish in Mitchellville, Maryland. He and his wife, Mankaa, have been married for 20 years and have three grown children. In 2013, Deacon Abongwa converted to the Catholic faith and joined his wife in teaching catechism to sixth graders. He also became a Knight of Columbus and has held several positions including Grand Knight. He is active in his parish as lector and acolyte. Deacon Abongwa is a medical technologist, and has spent the past 28 years working in that capacity at the Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.
Deacon Yannick Allepot is a Third Order Carmelite and a parishioner at Saint Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he started attending Mass in 2003. Over the years, he has served as a lector and as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. He has served as an instructor for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and is involved in couples’ ministry, marriage preparation ministry, a charismatic prayer group, Bible study and a number of other ministries.A financial analyst, Deacon Allepot has been married to his wife, Josy, for 19 years. They have three children.
Deacon Wesley E. Bryant is a parishioner at Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in North Beach, Maryland. He and his wife, Paula, have been married 40 years and have one grown daughter, Hannah. The Bryant family have been members of Saint Anthony Parish since 2018. Deacon Bryant and his wife have directed the RCIA program for the past five years. Deacon Bryant previously served in the U.S. Army and the Army National Guard, and has been a civilian analyst with the U.S. Navy since 1987, and his wife has been a quality assurance manager for 35 years.
Deacon Ronnie O. Chavez is a chemistry teacher at St. Mary’s County Public Schools. He has been married to Jocybel Chavez since 1990. The couple has four children, three of whom are married. They have five grandchildren, and another grandson is expected to be born soon. Deacon Chavez and his wife are members of Couples for Christ Global and they serve at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Lexington Park, Maryland.
Deacon Michael J. Dorsett is a parishioner at Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Owings, Maryland. He and his wife, Maria, have been married for 27 years and have three grown children, Nina, Michela and Marco. Deacon Dorsett and his wife have been members of Jesus the Good Shepherd since 1998, serving in various roles including lector and catechists in Children’s Faith Formation, Confirmation and RCIA. Deacon Dorsett is a program manager supporting programs within the Maryland Department of Health to affect positive change and health equity for all Marylanders.
Deacon David J. Hauge is a parishioner at Saint Peter’s Parish in Olney, Maryland. He and his wife, Maria, met at The Catholic University of America and have been married for 20 years. They have two children: a son at Franciscan University and a daughter at Mount de Sales Academy. The couple have been parishioners at Saint Peter since 2004. Deacon Hauge has been involved in his parish’s men’s ministry, including Sons of Saint Peter and That Man Is You (TMIY), and Maria has served as a catechist and an extraordinary ministry. Deacon Hauge is a vice president for a Washington area consulting firm, and Maria is a middle school math teacher at Saint Peter’s School. The couple enjoy visiting national parks and hiking with their children.
Deacon Matt Konieczny is a parishioner at Saint Patrick Parish in Rockville, Maryland. He and his wife, Grace, have been married for 21 years and have three children – their son a 2023 graduate of the Heights School, and two daughters, one a rising senior at the Brookwood School, and another rising seventh grader at Saint Patrick Catholic School. The Konieczny family has been part of the Saint Patrick Parish community since 2008. At Saint Patrick, Deacon Konieczny has served on the parish council, as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and lector. He has worked as a career civil servant for the past 33 years.
Deacon Matthew D. Menard is a parishioner at Saint Aloysius Church in Leonardtown, Maryland. He and his wife, Peggy, have been married for 34 years and have three grown children: Jonathan, Timothy and Gabrielle. The Menards have been members of Saint Aloysius since 2001 with the couple having served together in the church choir, the parish’s Saint Vincent de Paul conference and the parish food pantry. In addition, Deacon Menard has served as a cantor, a lector, and is a current member of the Knights of Columbus. He has also served in the parish’s praise band, and has helped lead a group for the Life in the Spirit seminar. He is employed as a software engineer for the U.S. Navy.
Deacon Derek Robinson is a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Melinda, have been married for 27 years and have two adult children. The Robinsons have attended Our Lady Queen of Peace since moving to the metropolitan Washington area in 2007. Deacon Robinson has served as a member of his parish finance council, a lector, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, a catechist for adult faith formation, and as a member of the gospel choir. He works for a federal agency as a program manager of IT systems and a data warehouse.
Deacon Walter Sanchez is a native of El Salvador. He moved to the United States in 1993. He is a veteran who served four years in the United States Marine Corps, and about two years in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from Rowan University with a bachelor's degree in biology. He and his wife, Glenda, have two children and are parishioners at Saint Catherine Labouré Parish, in Wheaton, Maryland.
Deacon James C. Summers III is a parishioner at Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Chaptico, Maryland. Originally from Hendersonville, Tennessee, he and his wife, Karen, have been married 21 years and have four children and one grandson. The Summers have been members of Our Lady of the Wayside Parish since 2015, and both have been catechists. Deacon Summers has served as RCIA coordinator, altar server trainer, lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and an active member of the Knights of Columbus. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2013 as a contracting officer and currently works at the Library of Congress as a supervisory procurement analyst.
Deacon Brodie Wise is a parishioner at Saint Andrew Apostle Catholic Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. He and his wife, Christine, have been married for 21 years and have three teenage sons. The Wise family have been members of Saint Andrew Apostle since 2014, where they both taught religious education. Deacon Wise serves in the parish’s men’s group, coached CYO sports, lectors, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is a senior executive and works for a Baltimore technology company in the assessment industry.
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Cardinal Gregory encourages new permanent deacons to be men of prayer and service
