By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted May 7, 2025

Seven men will be ordained transitional deacons for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul during a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez.

All are invited to watch the livestream here on CatholicPhilly and on St. Charles Borromeo Seminary’s Facebook page.

After ordination, the men will serve full-time in archdiocesan parishes for six months while completing their formation at the seminary, in preparation for anticipated priestly ordination in May 2026.

The 2025 Transitional Diaconate Ordinandi from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are:

  • Charles H. Cappelli, a native of Doylestown and a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 2019 after graduating from Central Bucks West High School and Temple University. He also served as a missionary with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). He is the son of Susan and Carl Cappelli, and has two brothers, Daniel and James, and a sister-in-law, Amanda.
  • Thomas G. Cipolla, a native of Jenkintown and member of Immaculate Conception Parish, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the fall of 2017 after graduating from La Salle College High School. He is the son of Elena and Daniel Cipolla and has three older brothers and one older sister.

  • Declan J. Cole, a native of Southampton and a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary after graduating from Archbishop Wood High School. He attended the parish school from kindergarten through eighth grade. The son of Mary and Quentin Cole, Declan is the middle child of seven siblings.

  • Alexander B. Cross, a native of Souderton and a member of St. Agnes Parish in Sellersville, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the fall of 2019 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh and Souderton Area High School. A former altar server at his parish, he is the son of Stephanie and Daniel Cross and has one older brother and one younger sister.
  • Dominic W. Mirenda, a native of Western Chester County and a member of St. Joseph Parish in Downingtown, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 2017 after graduating from St. Philomena Academy in Coatesville. He is the son of Deborah and Theodore Mirenda and has four siblings.
  • Jude Ugochukwu Opara, a native of Nigeria and a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Morrisville, is currently in Fourth Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, preparing for ordination to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He is the son of John and Florince Opara and is the fourth of five children.
  • Griffen T. Schlaepfer, a native of Danbury, Connecticut and member of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish in Yardley, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the fall of 2017. He previously attended Penn State University for one year after graduating from Pennsbury High School. He is the son of Joann and Robert Schlaepfer and has one brother.

In addition to these seven men, Archbishop Pérez will ordain Jude Arkesh Ragel and Pasquelge Don Sandun Tharuka from the Archdiocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka as transitional deacons.