CHARLOTTE — Seminarians Alfonso Gamez Jr. and Britt A. Taylor will be ordained to the transitional diaconate for the Diocese of Charlotte by Bishop Peter J. Jugis at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 2, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. They are currently studying at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.
The transitional diaconate is the final step before priestly ordination. Once ordained deacons, Gamez and Taylor can proclaim the Gospel at Mass, give homilies, baptize and officiate at weddings. They will have an additional year of theological studies and spiritual formation before being ordained to the priesthood, expected next June.
GamezGamez, 27, is the son of Jose and Ana Maria Gamez of Hendersonville. He was born in Clyde and grew up in Hendersonville. He is a graduate of East Henderson High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.
Gamez studied pre-theology and will complete his seminary studies in theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.
A parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville, Gamez served summer assignments at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir, St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte and St. Elizabeth Church in Boone.
Gamez says, “Throughout college, I had a deep desire to serve the Lord and the Church and to learn more about my faith. I simply cultivated this desire by becoming more involved in activities and theological study and it led me to the realization that I wouldn’t want to spend my life any other way than to come to know Christ more deeply every day, and to share this knowledge and love of Him with others.”
Taylor, 27, is the son of Rick and Terri Taylor of Charlotte. He was born in Atlanta and grew up in Charlotte, where he graduated from Charlotte Catholic High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
Taylor studied pre-theology and will also complete his seminary studies in theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum.
A parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, Taylor served summer assignments at St. Eugene Church in Asheville, Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, St. Elizabeth Church in Boone and St. Ann Church in Charlotte.
Taylor recalls when he first thought he had a vocation to the holy priesthood. “I realized around the second grade when I first started 
Tayloraltar serving. This does not mean I was ready to enter seminary, but the idea was in my mind. I found other distractions, but ultimately towards the end of college I found myself drawn stronger than ever to the priesthood and entered seminary.”
All are welcome to attend the transitional diaconate Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral on June 2.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter