Deacon Joseph Friend of Christ the King Church in Little Rock and Deacon Daniel Velasco of St. James Church in Searcy earned master of divinity degrees from St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Indiana after the spring 2020 semester.
They were scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Little Rock this month, but their ordinations were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate the ordination Mass for Friend and Velasco at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock.
It will be preceded by a holy hour at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14 at Christ the King Church in Little Rock to pray for them and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. For more information, contact the Vocations and Seminarians Office at (501) 664-0340.
Friend, 26, is the son of Dr. Jerry and Dona Friend and the late Betty Friend. He will serve as deacon at Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton and St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge as well as associate campus minister of Catholic Campus Ministry in Conway until his ordination in August.
Velasco, 46, is the son of Ismael Velasco Miguel and María del Carmen Pérez Vargas. He will serve as deacon at St. John Church in Russellville, St. Augustine Church in Dardanelle and St. Andrew Church in Danville until his ordination in August.
Ordinations to the diaconate are also scheduled in August. To learn more, see a complete schedule of events or contact the Vocations and Seminarians Office.
There are 25 seminarians discerning priesthood for the Diocese of Little Rock. To learn how they experience this calling, read their vocation stories. If you or someone you know thinks they might be called to priesthood, contact Msgr. Scott Friend, vocations director, at (501) 664-0340, ext. ext. 331.
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