Holy Orders: Bishop Golka to ordain new priests, deacons this spring

By Veronica Ambuul

PHOTO: Pictured, left to right, are Deacon Anthony Ambuul, Bishop James Golka, Deacon Patrick DiLoreto, and Deacon Sean O'Connor, after their ordination to the Transitional Diaconate on May 27, 2023. (Herald file photo)

COLORADO SPRINGS. It’s a busy year for ordinations in the Diocese of Colorado Springs. Not only will Bishop James Golka ordain three men to the priesthood, but 12 permanent deacons and one transitional deacon are on track for ordination this spring.

The season kicks off with the ordination of 12 men as permanent deacons on May 25 at 10 a.m. at St. Peter Parish in Monument. On June 1 at 10 a.m., Bishop Golka will ordain seminarian Christian Vaca to the transitional diaconate at St. Mary’s Cathedral. And on June 8 at 10 a.m., he will ordain deacons Anthony Ambuul, Patrick Di Loreto and Sean O’Connor to the priesthood at Holy Apostles Church.

Deacon Ambuul is the third of 10 children of Joe and Silvia Ambuul of Corpus Christi Parish. After graduating from Thomas MacLaren High School, he enrolled in St. Gregory the Great College Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He then enrolled at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he earned a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology with a concentration in Sacred Scripture. He will celebrate his first Mass on June 9 at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi Parish. After ordination, he will serve as parochial vicar at Ave Maria Parish in Parker. His younger brothers Dominic and Stephen are also seminarians for the Diocese of Colorado Springs.

Deacon DiLoreto is the son of Vince and Donna DiLoreto and has four brothers. He is a 2011 graduate of Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley in 2015 and served three years in the Colorado Army National Guard. Through a co-sponsor agreement between the Diocese of Colorado Springs and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, he attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He graduated with a Master of Divinity and and Master of Arts in Theology with a concentration in Church history. After ordination, he will serve as parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Highlands Ranch. He hopes to eventually serve as a Catholic chaplain in the U.S. Army. He will celebrate his first Mass on June 9 at 4:30 p.m. at Holy Apostles Parish.

Deacon O’Connor is the son of Deacon Patrick and Susie O’Connor and has one brother. He studied chemical engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where he was involved in campus ministry. After working for several years as an engineer, he discerned a vocation to the priesthood and entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He graduated with a Masters of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Theology with a concentration in systematic theology. After ordination, he will serve as parochial vicar at St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish. He will celebrate his first Mass on June 8 at 4 p.m. at St. Gabriel.

There will be limited public seating available at Holy Apostles for the ordination Mass on June 8. The Mass will also be livestreamed on the diocesan website, www.diocs.org, and the diocesan Facebook page, which can be found at www.facebook.com/CatholicDioceseCOS.

Seminarian Christian Vaca will be ordained a transitional deacon on June 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral. He recently completed his third year of theology studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. He is scheduled to be ordained a priest on June 7, 2025.