Second Year of Ordinations in Christ Cathedral Will Follow Strict Coronavirus Precautions Garden Grove, Calif. (June 5, 2020) – The Most Reverend Kevin W. Vann, Bishop of Orange, will ordain four men to the priesthood on Saturday, June 6 beginning at 10 a.m. The ancient and solemn ceremony will be altered significantly to ensure the safety of the four soon-to-be-ordained priests, their guests, and officiants. It is the second ordination held at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif. since the cathedral was dedicated in July 2019. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the public is not invited to the ceremony, but viewers can watch the event live via Christ Cathedral’s Facebook page at christcathedralmass.com. Limited numbers of family members and guests of the four deacons – Nam Linh Doan, Alejandro Nicolat Herrrera, Jakub Mackowicz and Michael Rizzo – will be spaced apart from one another in a cathedral that has undergone thorough cleaning and disinfecting, says Lesa Truxaw, director of the Diocese of Orange’s Office of Worship. In addition, some parts of the ritual will be adapted for safety reasons, including the traditional fraternal kiss and the laying on of hands, Truxaw says. A post-ceremony reception will not take place this weekend but may be rescheduled at a later date. Everyone in the cathedral except Bishop Vann will be wearing masks, she adds, and participants will be frequently using hand sanitizer during the ritual. The new priests will join the large and vibrant Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange community, the 10th-largest diocese in the United States. The diocese traces its beginnings to St. Junipero Serra and the first Catholic missionaries who founded the Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1776. Today the Diocese of Orange has the distinction of being one of the most ethnically diverse in the nation. The four ordinands are: Rev. Mr. Nam Linh Doan Deacon Nam Linh Doan was born in Vietnam in 1985. He has an older brother. The family came to the United States in 2006. In his free time, Deacon Doan enjoys iconography, reading, and wood carving. An altar server since the age of 13, Deacon Doan first began discerning his call to the priesthood while in high school. Before his family moved to the U.S., he spent two years in a pre-seminary program. After settling in Orange County, he attended Orange Coast College and then UC Irvine, where he majored in psychology. Most recently he has been preparing for the priesthood at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. Now 34 years old, he is inspired by St. John Paul II, St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila and other saints, and his motto is John 2:17: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” A deacon at his home parish, Holy Spirit Church in Fountain Valley, Deacon Doan interned at St. Norbert Church in Orange. Beginning July 1, his first assignment will be at St. Norbert’s. Rev. Mr. Alejandro Nicolat Herrera Born in Mexico City in 1972, Deacon Alejandro Nicolat Herrera is the eldest of nine children in a close-knit Catholic family. In his free time, he enjoys walking, listening to music, visiting friends, and spending time with his family. Deacon Herrera attended Secretaria Academica high school. At age 14, he felt God’s call and began serving others, but it wasn’t until he was 32 years old that he entered Santa Maria de Guadalupe Seminary in Jalisco, Mexico. In the intervening years he worked for the Mexican government in the areas of culture and housing, helping to support his parents and his large family. He has degrees in both philosophy and theology. His inspiration is: “God’s mercy is the last table of salvation for mankind.” Deacon Herrera interned at St. Justin Martyr Parish in Anaheim from 2016 to 2019 and has served as deacon there; St. Justin Martyr will be his first assignment as a priest beginning July 1. Rev. Mr. Jakub Mackowicz Deacon Jakub Mackowicz was born in Europe in 1987 but grew up in the United States. He has a younger brother and sister. In his free time, he enjoys going to the beach, swimming, and hiking in the mountains. He attended Woodbridge High School in Irvine and majored in graphic design at Cal State Fullerton. During college he became involved in his parish and volunteered in various ministries. He began taking his Catholic faith more seriously and enjoyed serving the Lord. Deacon Mackowicz attended St. Augustine Seminary in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. He served as in intern at Blessed Sacrament Church in Toronto, Canada, and then as a deacon at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in La Habra. His inspiration comes from St. John Paul II: “Do not be afraid. Open, I say open wide the doors for Christ.” His first assignment as a priest will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in La Habra.He is 32 years old. Rev. Mr. Michael Rizzo Deacon Michael Rizzo was born in New York City in 1959. He has one younger brother and comes from a middle-class Catholic family. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and golf, cooking, reading, and watching movies. He attended Regis High School in Manhattan and earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University. He received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and practiced law until 2000, when he was named president and CEO of a finance subsidiary of a large bank. He ended his career as a senior executive at an educational technology firm in Irvine. Deacon Rizzo was married to his wife Rosemary in 1985. She died before the couple were to move to Orange County. In fall 2012, he heard God call him to the priesthood. Deacon Rizzo attended Mt. Angel Seminary in St. Benedict, Oregon. He spent his pastoral year at St. Pius V in Buena Park and his diaconate summer at St. Norbert Church in Orange. He was a deacon during the school year at St. Pius X in Portland, Oregon. He is inspired by St. Ignatius of Loyola, and his motto is “For the greater glory of God.” His first assignment as a priest will be at Sts. Simon & Jude Church in Huntington Beach. About the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange With 1.3 million Catholics, 57 parishes, 5 Catholic centers, and 41 schools, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is one of the largest and most diverse faith communities in the United States. The Diocese encourages Catholics across Or-ange County to have an active life of faith that is integrated and woven into the fabric of their daily lives through the community and sacramental life of the Church. Under the leadership of Bishop Kevin Vann, the Diocese works to es-tablish and support dynamic, vibrant parishes and schools welcoming all to live the Gospel with faith, joy, charity and unity. Christ Cathedral, the spiritual home of the Diocese, was dedicated in July 2019. Learn more about the Diocese of Orange at https://rcbo.staging.wpengine.com.   Pastoral Center: Communications Department 13280 Chapman Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92840 office: 714-282-3075         fax: 714-282-3029