The Archdiocese of Seattle will welcome two new priests June 3 when Archbishop Paul D. Etienne ordains transitional deacons Sylvester Chanda and John Paul Tomassi. The ordination Mass begins at 10 a.m. at St. James Cathedral in Seattle.

Joy and perseverance are the words Father Justin Ryan, the archdiocese’s director of vocations, says come to mind when he thinks of these two men.

“Both of them bring an infectious joy to Church life and their relationships,” he said. “Building community comes naturally to them, and they will be at the heart of strengthening the Body of Christ wherever they go in the archdiocese.”

He said the men have been strong “through what can be a long formation journey,” citing Deacon Chanda’s move from Zambia and Deacon Tomassi entering the seminary right after high school.

More than that, though, both “persevered through experiencing seminary and serving at parishes during the height of the COVID pandemic,” Father Ryan said. “They found ways to get creative in ministry, still be present to people in such a difficult time and remain committed to formation for priesthood.”

In addition to that creativity, both men are “particularly gifted when it comes to music and singing,” Father Ryan said. “This will enhance the faithful’s encounters with our Lord Jesus at both Sunday and daily Masses.”

These aren’t the only vocations to celebrate this spring. Two men were set to be ordained transitional deacons in May: Kyle Rink on May 20 at All Saints Church in Puyallup and Max Muñoz on May 31 at Holy Spirit Church in Kent. Ordination to the transitional diaconate is the last stage in seminary formation before ordination to the priesthood.

To learn more about vocations to the priesthood or religious life, visit SeattleVocations.com or search SeattleVocations on Facebook and Instagram.

Meet the men being ordained to the priesthood June 3:

Sylvester Chanda

Age: 34
Born: Lusaka, Zambia
Home parish: St. Benedict, Seattle
Seminary: Mount Angel (Oregon)

Favorite field of study: Communion ecclesiology. This model places the Eucharist at the center of the Church’s life, calling us into a deep personal, loving relationship with God and with one another in God. It rests on the idea that in the Eucharist we become what we consume, and the presence of Christ within us transforms and renews us every day, drawing us closer into the very life of God, the life of the Trinity. For me, there is nothing more attractive than living a Eucharistic life.  

Sylvester Chanda plays soccer with friends at Mount Angel Seminary. (Courtesy Sylvester Chanda)

Favorite saint: St. Teresa of Calcutta. Her passion and dedication to serving the poor, the sick and the homeless speak to me in a very profound way. In my own spiritual journey, I strive to live by her spirituality “to live simply that others may simply live.”

Hobbies: I love playing and watching soccer, composing music and singing and sometimes playing volleyball. Also, I love spending time with my siblings and my nieces and nephews.  

Deacon Sylvester Chanda becomes part of the Reptile Man’s visit to Christ the King School in Seattle. (Courtesy Sylvester Chanda) 

What was your life like before you joined the seminary? I was in high school and already thinking of the possibility of priesthood. My life was centered around my local parish. I spent most of my weekends at the parish with a group of young altar servers, learning and growing in the faith and, of course, playing soccer. We read Scriptures together, prayed the rosary, had different people speak to us about the faith, and every Tuesday evening we did the singing at daily Mass.

Deacon Sylvester Chanda is all smiles with his nieces and nephew. (Courtesy Sylvester Chanda)

What person or experience most influenced you to answer the call to the priesthood? The greatest gift that my parents gave to me was and is the gift of faith. After losing both parents when I was 11 and 12 years old, the best way I could honor my parents was to continue holding on to the gift of faith they gave me. At 12 years old, I began serving at Mass, and the experience of being close to the Eucharistic sacrifice at the altar, hearing the priest preside, consecrating the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, and then elevating the Eucharist for adoration within Mass was a mind-blowing experience for me. Each time the priest elevated the Eucharist, I remember saying to myself, “I want to do that when I grow up.” Looking back, I count those moments as the beginnings of my journey to the priesthood, and through time to date, my family and priests like Father Dean Mbuzi, Father Bryan Dolejsi and Father Gary Lazzeroni have been instrumental in my saying yes to the priesthood. I am grateful to them for being such a great gift to me and helping me draw closer to Christ!

What do you most look forward to about being a priest? I look forward to celebrating the Eucharist, being close and of service to God’s people, teaching the faith and sharing the joy of the Gospel.

John Paul Tomassi

Age: 28
Born: Portland, Oregon
Home parish: Holy Redeemer, Vancouver
Seminaries: Bishop White (Spokane); Mount Angel (Oregon) and Mundelein (Illinois)

Favorite field of study: Liturgy, Christology, the sacraments and music. One thing I love about the Church is our witness to the fact that, in the mystery of Jesus Christ, all that is good, true and beautiful is taken up and redeemed. Of these three “transcendentals” — goodness, truth and beauty — which Christ embodies, I find myself drawn most ardently by beauty. The liturgical life of the Church, centered on the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass), is the Church’s deepest encounter with Jesus Christ in his goodness, his truth and his beauty. So I am very passionate about liturgical music because I have found it to be a rich and beautiful way to enter into the mystery of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice of praise to God the Father.

Deacon John Paul Tomassi wades into the Sea of Galilee. (Courtesy John Paul Tomassi)

Favorite saint: There are so many good ones to choose from, but I always come back to St. Peter because, while I admire his boldness, his faltering faith in Jesus also resonates with me. On one hand, he was the only disciple to step out of the boat onto the water; on the other hand, he became afraid and began to sink — but Jesus never gave up on him (Matthew 14).

Hobbies: I love to prepare and drink craft coffee. I also like to sing for fun. I’m sorry to say this, but I’m not very into sports — you might catch me walking, hiking, kayaking or camping when time allows.

Deacon John Paul Tomassi makes a statement with his “Choir is my sport” shirt in the Mount Angel Seminary gym. (Courtesy John Paul Tomassi)

What was your life like before you joined the seminary? I entered seminary right after high school, and in high school, I was a bit of a choir and theater geek, did some distance running, got in debates with classmates and — to earn a little money — mowed lawns in my neighborhood in Camas, a suburb of Vancouver.

What person or experience most influenced you to answer the call to the priesthood? I owe a lot of credit to my parents. They raised my siblings and me in the faith and made sure that we knew that God could be calling us to a religious vocation or the priesthood. My mom attended daily Mass, so I would go with her and altar serve frequently. The religious environment that my parents created in the home was really the seedbed for any discernment. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Deacon John Paul Tomassi on vacation with his parents and siblings.

What do you most look forward to about being a priest? I really look forward to celebrating the sacraments — especially the Mass and confession. More generally, I look forward to being a sign of God’s love in Jesus Christ for the world and bringing the joy of this love into people’s lives. However, everything that I look forward to I also find immensely humbling because these are blessings that I could never make myself worthy of. The priesthood is a gift, for me and for others!

Read the rest of the June/July 2023 issue of Northwest Catholic here.