Shown with Bishop Oscar A. Solis following their ordination on Nov. 21 are Deacon Jaime Zuazo (left) and Deacon Jose Luis Gomez Diaz. IC photos/Marie MischelSALT LAKE CITY — Hundreds of the faithful came from all over the Diocese of Salt Lake City to the Cathedral of the Madeleine on Nov. 21 to celebrate the Rite of Ordination of Deacons for seminarians Jose Luis Gomez Diaz and Jaime Orlando Zuazo Alcaraz.Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at the Mass. Concelebrants were most of the priests of the diocese as well as Father Anh Tran, interim coordinator of pastoral formation and formation director at Mount Angel Seminary; and Monsignor Diego Monroy Ponce, rector of the San Juan Diego Cuahtlatoazin National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Mexico City.At the beginning of the ceremony Bishop Solis welcomed those present, adding, “We gather in praise and in thanksgiving with all the people of God in Utah to celebrate the ordination of Jaime and Jose Luis to the sacred Order of the Diaconate.” 
In his homily, Bishop Solis recalled that eight years ago, shortly after he was installed as Bishop of Salt Lake City, he “met a man who shared with me his deep frustrations and longings – he felt called to the priesthood but had struggled to find someone who would truly listen, yet he kept on knocking on the door and, by the grace of God, the door was opened.” 
This man, now Deacon Zuazo, was admitted to Mount Angel Seminary a year later to begin his formation.
After ordination, Deacon Jaime Zuazo assists Bishop Oscar A. Solis at the altar.“It was not an easy transition; he rarely smiled in those early days,” the bishop said, “but today he stands before us radiant with joy.” During his first year in Utah, the bishop also met Deacon Gomez, who at the time had just arrived from Mexico. “A lawyer by profession, he spoke little English and was still adjusting to a new culture,” Bishop Solis said.Deacon Gomez was also admitted to Mount Angel and “adapted remarkably, his English improved and yes, he grew in wisdom, in spirituality,” Bishop Solis said. 
“After several years of studying theology and philosophy, Jaime and Jose Luis now stand in front of us filled with gratitude and hope, ready to be ordained as deacons,” the bishop said, adding that he was proud of both men for saying yes to God.
Bishop Oscar A. Solis ordains Deacon Jose Luis Gomez Diaz.Speaking to the seminarians, he said, “We are thankful for your vocation, for your families and all who have supported you along the way. The diaconate is not merely a stepping stone to the priesthood, but a sacred ministry itself,” one that is characterized “by humility, love and perseverance.” Holiness “is not an abstract idea, it is the concrete reality of God’s presence among his people, and as deacons you are called to help others encounter that presence in your life of service,” the bishop said.He recalled a time when a parishioner shared with him an occasion when a deacon visited her elderly mother to bring her Holy Communion. After the deacon left, the mother told the daughter “she felt as if Christ himself had entered this house. … That moment transformed the family’s faith, and this is a sacred trust that you now embrace,” the bishop told the new deacons.
Speaking to the community, the bishop said, “God calls many, but few are chosen for this ministry. The vocation to the diaconate is not something we earn. It is a gift from God. What he seeks is not perfection but the willingness of heart, always willing to be poured with the love to the ministry of the altar, of the Word and of charity.”
Deacon Jose Luis Gomez Diaz (left) and Deacon Jaime Zuazo greet wellwishers following the Nov. 21 ordination Mass.He also reminded those present that the diaconate is a life of service, “not a status. The foundation of the diaconate ministry pours from the love of the Father. As the Gospel says, ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.’”Finally, the bishop asked the new deacons to never forget that “Christ has chosen you. Bring his love to the people you serve.” To the community, he said, “I ask you to pray for these two men, that through the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary they remain faithful, humble and great servants of the Lord.”
After the homily Deacon Gomez was vested by Monsignor Monroy, and Deacon Zuazo received his vestments from Father Roberto Montoro, administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Salt Lake City.
“What a beautiful ceremony,” said Guillermina Flores, a parishioner of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City, where Deacon Zuazo served as a lay person. “I am just grateful for the ministry of these awesome men.”