Oregon ordains six new priests

Archbishop to ordain six priests and one transitional deacon
By Portland Archdiocese,

Archbishop John G. Vlazny will ordain six priests and one transitional deacon on Saturday, June 5 at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (NW 18th & Couch) in Portland.  The Mass of Ordination will begin at 11:00 a.m.  Those being ordained priests are Ysrael Bien, Henry Guillen – Vega, Raul Marquez, Robert Wolf, Mark Kissner, OCD, and Joseph Nguyen, SDD.  Brother Joseph Nhat  Hoang Dang, SDD will be ordained a transitional deacon.

Reverend Mr. Ysrael Bien was born in 1980 in Tabaco City, Philippines.  His parents are Felipe N. (deceased) and Amparo C. Bien.  He is one of seven children.  He attended a Catholic elementary school in Tabaco City and graduated from St. Gregory the Great Seminary High School in 1997 in Tabaco City.  He next attended Mater Salutis College Seminary in Legazpi, Philippines, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Philosophy in 2001.  He has been attending Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict, OR, where he recently finished a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree, a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Arts degree in Theology.  He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny on May 23, 2009.

Deacon Bien has extensive ministry experience as part of his training to be a priest.  This ministry experience includes: a Pastoral internship at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Portland, a Spanish immersion program in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, Clinical Pastoral Education at New York Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, ministry at the Oregon State Hospital, Missionary work in Cuyo Island, Palawan, Philippians, and Urban Poor community work in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, Philippines.

Reverend Mr. Henry J. Guillen-Vega was born in Masaya, Nicaragua.  He is the son of Jorge Guillen (deceased) and Diana Vega.  He is one of eight children.  He attended elementary school and high school in Masaya, graduating in 1994.  He then attended the Universidad Catolica “Redemptoris Mater” graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 2002.  He has been attending Mount Angel Seminary and graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in May, 2010.  He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny on January 23, 2010 at Sacred Heart Church in Gervais.

Deacon Guillen-Vega’s ministry experiences have included working with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program at St. Mary Parish in Mt. Angel, working at St. Philip Benizi Parish in the Redland area of Oregon City, Clinical Pastoral Education at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL, St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius, St. Anne Parish in Gresham and a pastoral year at Sacred Heart Parish in Gervais.

Reverend Mr. Raul O. Marquez was born in 1970 in Abejorral, Colombia.   He is the son of Esmeragdo Marquez (deceased) and Maria Ofir Castano.  He is one of six children.  Raul attended elementary and secondary schools in Medellin, Colombia, graduating high school in 1989.  He attended the University of Phoenix in Salt Lake

City, UT graduating with a Bachelor of Business degree in information systems.  He has been attending Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, WI.  He is completing work on a Master of Divinity degree to be awarded May, 2010.  He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop John G. Vlazny on May 23, 2009.

Deacon Marquez’s ministry training has included Clinical Pastoral Education at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, FL, and assignments at St. Peter Parish in Portland and St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius.

Robert J. Wolf was born in 1979 in Salem, OR to Thomas R. and Connie S. Wolf.  He is one of six children.  He attended elementary school in Keizer, and graduated from McNary High School in Keizer in 1997.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Mount Angel Seminary in 2005.  He recently completed a Master of Divinity degree at Mount Angel Seminary in May, 2010.  He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny on May 23, 2009.

Deacon Robert Wolf’s ministry training has included working at St. Joseph Parish in Salem, Camp Howard, St. Edward Parish in Keizer, Our Lady of the Mountain Parish in Ashland, a Pastoral Internship at St. Anthony Parish in Forest Grove and assignments at Christ the King Parish in Milwaukie.

Deacons Bien, Guillen – Vega, Marquez and Wolf are being ordained priests for the Archdiocese of Portland.  They will receive their pastoral assignments in June.

Brother Mark Kissner, OCD is a member of the Order of Discalced Carmelite Friars, California – Arizona Province.  He was born in Dayton, OH in 1967.  He is one of two children of Thomas & Mary Kissner.  He attended elementary and secondary schools in Centerville, OH, graduating high school in 1985.  He then attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree in 1989.  He attended the University of Dayton in Dayton, OH and earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree in 1992.   Brother Mark earned a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Arts in Theology degree from Mount Angel Seminary in 2010.

Brother Mark took solemn vows in the Carmelites on January 24, 2009.  He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny on May 23, 2009.

Brother Mark’s ministry experiences have included work at St. Joseph School in Salem, working with the Confirmation students at St. John the Baptist Parish in Milwaukie, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process at St. Edward Parish in Keizer, outreach ministry at the McDonald Center in downtown Portland, and service as a deacon at St. Mary Parish in Mt. Angel.

Deacon Joseph Minh Nguyen, SDD is a member of the Domus Dei Clerical Society of Apostolic Life.  He was born in 1976 in Dong Nai, Vietnam.  He is one of five children of Thanh Van Nguyen (deceased) and Buoi Thi Nguyen.  After attending elementary school in Vietnam, he graduated from high school in Great Bend, KS in 1996.  He entered St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, LA graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 2004.  He earned a Master of Divinity degree at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, LA in 2008.  He was ordained a deacon in January, 2009.

Deacon Nguyen’s ministry assignments have included Clinical Pastoral Education at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, AL, St. Joseph Church in
Grand Prairie, TX, and at All Saints Parish in Portland.

Brother Joseph Nhat Hoang Dang, SDD will be ordained a transitional deacon by Archbishop Vlazny.  Joseph was born in 1966 in Kein Giang, Vietnam.  He is one of seven children of Joseph Keim Van Dang and Mary Chi Thi Bui, both deceased.  Joseph attended elementary and secondary school in Bein Hoa, Dong Nai, Vietnam.  He graduated from The Bank College in Saigon in 1988.  He entered the Paul Nguyen Van Binh Theological Institute in Saigon in 1994.  He is a member of the Domus Dei Clerical Society of Apostolic Life, and he is currently the Editor in chief of the Domus Dei website.

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