Saturday, May 1, is the day that Bishop Lawrence Persico ordained three seminarians from the Diocese of Erie to the transitional diaconate. Benjamin Daghir, Christopher Wheeler and Nicholas Fratus will take this last step before their anticipated ordination to the priesthood in June 2022.

Fratus and Wheeler are completing their studies for the priesthood at Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe and Daghir is studying at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.

From left are Benjamin Dahgir, Christopher Wheeler and Nicholas Fratus with Bishop Lawrence Persico. The image is from their rite of candidacy ceremony in August 2020 at Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus Church in North East. Photo by Sheila Grove.