On August 6, the Legionaries of Christ Andrew Gronotte, Andrew Kolenda, Piotr Krezalek, Aaron Loch, Ryan Richardson, Daniel Rolczynski, and Brett Taira received the order of the diaconate from Mons. Donald Hying, Bishop of Gary, at the Notre Dame parish in Michigan City, Indiana.

Participated in the Eucharistic celebration with Father Eduardo Robles-Gil and John Connor, North American territorial director, and concelebrated by 40 Legionary priests.

Also present, in addition to the family and friends of the ordinands, were students from the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center, teenagers participating in the introductory course at the Vocational Center, a group of young people preparing to start a year as Regnum Christi collaborators in North America, candidates, novices, and humanists from Cheshire, and a group of Regnum Christi members from neighboring states.

During the homily, Mons. Donald delved into the specific ministries of the diaconate, the expectations that the Church places on the mission of deacons, and the wonder of God’s predilection for them, choosing them with love to continue His own mission of service.

After the diaconal ordination, those present had lunch at the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center. Father Andrew Gronotte gave a few words of thanks, and his parents shared their testimony.

Also, Mons. Donald, Father Eduardo Robles-Gil, and Father John Connor addressed those present at the end of the meal.

The Cheshire choir offered two musical pieces at the end of the event, and families were given the opportunity to take a guided tour of the Vocational Center accompanied by some of the students.

The Father Aaron Loch, L.C. was born in Buffalo, Minnesota, and is the second of eleven siblings. He entered the New Hampshire Vocational Center in 1999 at the age of 14. He did his Novitiate in Dublin and in 2005 studied humanities in Cheshire for a year. He studied a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Thornwood. He began his apostolic practices as a formation instructor in St. Louis, Missouri, continued as a formation instructor at Oaklawn Academy in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and was discipline prefect at the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center, Indiana. He made his perpetual profession in 2010. During the following six years, he obtained a license in philosophy and a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. Father Aaron has begun his ministry as chaplain of Oaklawn Academy in Edgerton, Wisconsin.

The Father Brett Taira, L.C. was born in Santa Barbara, CA, into a Buddhist family and converted to Catholicism in 2002. In 2004, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Rice University in Houston. After graduation, he entered the Legion of Christ novitiate in Cheshire, where he also completed a year of humanities. He obtained a bachelor’s and a license in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He did his apostolic practices in Chicago from 2011 to 2013, collaborating with the Conquest clubs, and as a formation instructor at Everest Academy in Lemont and East Lake Academy in Lake Forest. He returned to Rome for a second time for three years to study a bachelor’s degree in theology. During his second period in Rome, he contributed to various web development and photography projects. In July 2016, he began working as an assistant to the chaplain of the Regnum Christi sections in Chicago.

The Father Daniel Rolczynski, L.C. is from Richfield, Minnesota, born on December 8, 1985. He joined Regnum Christi at age 16 and was a collaborator of Regnum Christi after high school for a year. He entered the Cheshire novitiate the following year, in 2005, and studied humanities there afterward. He started a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Thornwood, New York, and after his first year of studies, began his apostolic practices as a vocational promoter in New York and New Jersey. In 2012, he went to Rome to continue his philosophy studies and to begin a bachelor’s degree in theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He currently works in the youth section of Regnum Christi in Mexico City.

The Father Piotr Konrad Krezalek, L.C. was born on February 5, 1968, in Gorlice, Poland. He entered the Legion of Christ novitiate on September 15, 2008, in Cheshire. He studied philosophy in Thornwood from 2010 to 2012. In 2012, he was assigned to Louisiana as a member of the auxiliary team of the youth section. At the end of his practices, in 2013, he moved to Rome to study theology. He is currently in his final year of a bachelor’s degree in theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

The Father Andrew Gronotte, L.C. was born on June 27, 1985, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He entered the Cheshire novitiate on September 15, 2002, and made his first religious profession on August 29, 2004. From 2004 to 2006, he studied humanities in Cheshire, and from 2006 to 2008, he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. During his apostolic practices, he was a member of the auxiliary team of the male ECYD in Washington. On September 4, 2010, he made his perpetual profession at the Cheshire novitiate and humanities center. In 2011, he returned to Rome to study a license in philosophy and a bachelor’s degree in theology. He currently works with the male ECYD in Washington.

The Father Andrew Kolenda, L.C. was born on June 24, 1983, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He entered the Cheshire novitiate on September 14, 2000, and made his first religious profession on September 15, 2002, in Dublin, where he completed two years of novitiate. He later studied humanities in Cheshire and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in Rome. During his apostolic practices, he worked as an assistant for the North American territory fundraising tour and as an assistant for the Atlanta territorial secretariat. From 2009 to 2014, he studied a license in philosophy and a bachelor’s degree in theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, and from 2014 to 2015, he worked as a vocational promoter in Chicago. He currently works as an assistant for the North American territorial administration and as a member of the auxiliary team of ECYD and the youth section of Atlanta.

The Father Ryan Richardson, L.C. was born on February 27, 1981, in the United States. He was a collaborator of Regnum Christi, working in Compass. He entered the Cheshire novitiate on September 14, 2005, and made his first profession on September 1, 2007. He studied humanities in Cheshire from 2007 to 2008 and his first year of a bachelor’s degree in Thornwood. From 2009 to 2012, he was an assistant to the Cheshire novices, and in 2012, he returned to Rome to continue his philosophy studies and to begin a bachelor’s degree in theology. He made his perpetual profession on September 3, 2013, at the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Philip the Martyr in Rome.