Five men will be ordained permanent deacons at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Cloud. Their brief bios below give a sense of who they are; watch for their full stories after ordination.
Randolph Lee Bayerl
Current Parish: St. Andrew, Elk River
Hobbies: Singing (cantor/psalmist and soloist), playing the guitar
Favorite Saint: St. Joseph. Joseph is my confirmation saint name.
Favorite Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer
Tell us a bit about your current family life.
I have been married for 37 years in October. We have two married sons: David (wife Heather, son Dominic and daughter Magdelene) and John (wife Rachel).
What do you do for work?
I’m a pastoral assistant at St. Andrew’s and have been for the past seven years.
Tell us about some meaningful moments serving your parish.
The most moving moments have been the opportunities to bring holy Communion to those in need. I have also been very moved by the invitation to be with family during vigils and burials of their loved ones, to lead these services on behalf of the Church. Finally, my love of music has also given me the opportunity to sing in choirs, offer solos and proclaim the psalms.
Julio César Tena Sorio
Current Parish: St. Andrew Elk River, since 2019
Hobbies: Sports, watching soccer and Wrestlemania
Favorite Saint: St. Paul. As a young man, I would speak badly of people who believed in God or practiced their faith. During my first retreat, I learned instead to trust in Jesus. I believe that God has chosen me, like St. Paul, to take on the mission of preaching the Gospel to people who have not yet had that encounter. That is why my son is named Paulo.
Favorite Prayer: Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel. If I do not begin the day with my prayer, I feel incomplete.
Tell us a bit about your current family life.
I’m married to Rosio Mesa. I have a daughter Edna, 20, who will be married in May, two weeks before our ordination. My son Paulo Cesar is 9 months old. Perhaps one day, God willing, he will be a priest.
What do you do for work?
I work as a recruiter for the Minnesota Farmers Union. I help people who want to start small businesses or enroll in apprenticeship programs.
Peter Tran
Current Parish: Sts. Peter and Paul, Braham
Hobbies: Softball with my family, reading and traveling
Favorite Saints: St. Therese of Lisieux and St. John Neumann
Favorite Prayer: The Magnificat
Tell us a bit about your current family life.
I live in Braham with my wife, Kate, and six children: Michael, 17; Sarah, 15; Noah, 13; Mary, 11; Gianna, 9; and Matthew, 7.
What do you do for work?
I’m a home care physical therapist.
Tell about some meaningful moments serving your parish.
I have been blessed to serve as an acolyte for Easter Vigil with Michael and Noah. It meant a lot serving the faith community side-by-side with them. I also have really enjoyed being a mentor couple for marriage prep with Kate. The couples we have worked with have been amazing.
Luke Waltman
Current Parish: Our Lady of Lourdes, Little Falls
Hobbies: Hunting (rifle and archery), fishing, woodworking, being outdoors
Favorite Saint: St. Padre Pio
Favorite Prayer: Rosary
Tell us a bit about your current family life.
I am single with two daughters, 21 and 18. My oldest is a para in the Little Falls community schools and my youngest is in the class of 2025 and will be shipping out to Air Force boot camp this summer.
What do you do for work?
I am the director of operations for the Haven of Mercy Area Catholic Community, working with business issues that would have gone to our priest in the past. This allows him to take his time to be a priest and pastor instead of an administrator.
As God promises to make “All Things New” — the theme of our planning process — what does this mean to you and what do you think God promises for the Church?
The way we’ve grown up with “Church” is what God wanted for us in those times. We don’t live in that world anymore and we need to respond to the changes. If we go through this process, starting with prayer and keeping prayer at the center, God will guide us to what’s needed for this time. He will make “All Things New “if we continue to ask him to show us his will and we humbly let our own emotions and pride get out of the way..
Kenton Jay Yoder
Current Parish: St. Andrew, Elk River
Hobbies: Golfing, hiking, camping
Favorite Saint: St. Joseph
Favorite Prayer: The Magnificat
Tell us a bit about your current family life
My wife Stefanie and I have been married for 27 years and live in Elk River. We have two girls, Haley 24, (married to George) and, Mya, 21, and twin boys, Elias and Elsay, both 20.
What do you do for work?
I work in the parish office at St. Andrew, currently as an assistant business manager. I am also very active in our parish youth ministry and religious education program.
What moments of faith stand out to you from your childhood?
As a child, I always had a desire to serve God and wanted to live my life the way he would want me to. In high school, I remember our youth group and our leader who focused on teaching us how to pray. He taught us to be honest with God in our prayer, to be honest with each other and how to support each other when life presented challenges.