Deacons and the diaconate

Deacon Del Leonardo carries three pagers and a cell phone on him at all times.

It's a necessity in his work as a full-time evening and overnight chaplain at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, but Deacon Leonardo doesn't mind all of the buzzing and beeping coming from his hip. Rather, he sees those as opportunities to be with patients "in the moment" who are critically ill or close to death.

The 72-year-old never imagined that he would become a permanent deacon, or a chaplain for that matter, but he knows in his heart that this is exactly what he's supposed to be doing.

Two Benedictines at St. Louis Abbey in Creve Coeur have been ordained transitional deacons by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson.

Brother Francis Hein and Brother Cassian Koenemann, both natives of the St. Louis Archdiocese, were ordained Aug. 11 at the Abbey Church of St. Mary and St. Louis.

A memorial Mass was celebrated June 9 at Holy Infant Church in Ballwin for Deacon William J. Krull.

Deacon Krull, 74, died May 26. He donated his body to St. Louis University School of Medicine.

Born in St. Louis, he married the former Linda Ruth Luckel in 1961. Deacon Krull was ordained to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate by Archbishop Raymond L. Burke in 2005. He served at Holy Infant Parish, Ballwin, since his ordination.