Deacon Alex Breviario, center, surrounded by the giant paper chain presented to him by parish children. Photos courtesy Our Lady of Grace
Hundreds of people packed Our Lady of Grace Parish in Howard Beach last Sunday for a surprise celebration of Deacon Alexander Breviario’s years of service to his community and honored the man whose faith and commitment parishioners called an inspiration.
“He’s an integral part of the parish community,” said Steven Eriquez, the Catholic Identity Team Facilitator at the Ave Maria Catholic Academy, which also joined Our Lady of Grace in marking Breviario’s service. “He’s Father [Anthony] Rucando’s right arm.”
Breviario, who was ordained in 2007, gave a presentation last Sunday about his journey to becoming a deacon, including the preparation involved and what his position entails – but what the longtime Howard Beach resident did not know was that hundreds of people were about to surprise him following his talk.
As part of the celebration, the deacon was given a statue of St. Stephen, Patron of Deacons; a paper chain with a link of thanks from each of the 600 children in the parish religious education program and AMCA; a photo montage compiles from parishioners’ photos of various baptisms, weddings and other events he has participated in; a bouquet of flowers for his wife, Bernice; a cake with a photo of both the deacon and his wife; and a giant card from the parishioners.
Born in Ridgewood, Breviario moved with his family to Howard Beach at the age of 11 in 1963. A longtime member of Our Lady of Grace, he began the five-year Diaconate program in 2002, during which time he did everything from study scripture to learn how to prepare for a life of, as Eriquez said, being the right-hand man for a parish priest. Both Breviario and Eriquez noted that because there are fewer priests, the role of deacons have greatly expanded in recent years. Deacons can do much of what a priest can do, except for saying mass or hearing confessions – but he can perform such events as baptisms and weddings.
“Deacon Alex does all those things, and he does them above and beyond,” Eriquez said.
For Breviario, the road to becoming a deacon was part of faith playing an increasingly important role in his life and being “foundational to everything we do.”
“We’re challenged in life in many different ways – sometimes it may be the loss of a job or a loved one,” he said. “Faith sustains us through all those crosses that we sometimes have to bear. But it also sustains us when those crosses become resurrections.”
“It’s not something I fit into my life, it’s something I fit my life around,” Breviario said of faith.
Deacon Alex Breviario and his family members who were in attended help him cut the cake Sunday, when the deacon was honored for his extraordinary service to the church community.
By Anna Gustafson
