Deacon Daniel R. Signore, III
Wife: Darlene M. Signore
Home Parish: St. Mark the Evangelist, Greencastle
Parish Assignment: St. Mark the Evangelist, Greencastle
What drew you to serve the Diocese as a Deacon?
Service in the primary reason I felt God was calling me to be a deacon. I have served my parish in varying capacities for over 30 years. Lay people can accomplish many of the service ministries of a deacon; however, serving in an ordained capacity means you are an official representative of the Church. A deacon speaks for the Church. It’s an awesome responsibility, which means that a deacon must know Church teaching in order to represent the Church, and represent her teachings correctly.
Deacon Daniel R. Signore, III
What aspect of the ministry are you most looking forward to?
I mostly look forward to serving those most in need. Matthew 25 speaks loudly to me in my calling. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
What was your profession prior to ordination?
My entire career was in the Procurement and Contracting field. I bought things and services. My first 10 years were spent in industry, buying medical supplies and shipping them to countries in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait). My last 31+ years were spent in Army Contracting. The first three years were spent in electronics, but I then moved back into medical for the rest of my career. I primarily contracted medical services and research & development at Ft. Detrick, Md. I finished my career in the Office of The Surgeon General, and retired in December 2017.
How has the formation program helped you grow spiritually?
The formation program constantly reminded me to seek God’s will in my life. Seeking God’s will in our lives is not just for the huge decisions in life, like choosing between the married life and the priesthood, or later becoming a deacon. I am constantly reminded to seek God’s will in everything happening around me, every day. The minute we remove the providence of God in our lives, we are usually starting down the wrong path, although not always intentionally. Mother Teresa taught us to turn to God for every decision in our day.
Deacon Francis Skorija
Wife: Anne Skorija
Home Parish: St. Margaret Mary, Harrisburg
Parish Assignment: St. Margaret Mary, Harrisburg
What drew you to serve the Diocese as a Deacon?
The Holy Spirit.
What aspect of the ministry are you most looking forward to?
I look forward to serving at the pleasure of the bishop in whatever pastoral capacity he wishes; however, it would be a blessing to be called to serve the incarcerated, the homeless, the addicted, the homebound, and the poor.
Deacon Francis Skorija
What is/was your profession before ordination?
I am retired from the US Army Reserve and work as an industrial sales engineer.
How has the formation program helped you grow spiritually?
The formation program helped me to grow more spiritually mature by cultivating a spirit of patience and faithfulness to Jesus. Only by developing a deep relationship with Jesus can I share Him with others. You cannot give what you do not have, so I must be in love with Jesus to be Jesus for others. Although an unworthy servant of the Master, I am privileged to be conformed to Him as an icon of Jesus, the servant, through the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Deacon Armando Torres
Wife: Linda P. Torres
Home Parish: San Juan Bautista, Lancaster
Parish Assignment: San Juan Bautista, Lancaster
What drew you to serve the Diocese as a Deacon?
Serving the Church and our local Catholic school has been part of our family life. This involvement helped me work closely with our pastor and deacons in our parish, which led to the discernment of the diaconate. Father Allan F. Wolfe has been instrumental in me “realizing” the path to discernment of deacon ministry. Answering the call to formation in the diaconate and the eventual day of ordination was for me a response of being open to our Father’s will, and, with the Church, discern the ministry of deacon.
Deacon Armando Torres
What aspect of the ministry are you most looking forward to?
The call to deacon ministry is Word, Liturgy and Charity, and I am looking forward to all three. The aspect of the ministry I am looking forward to is to hopefully respond and minister in a way that always brings Christ to the forefront.
What is your profession?
I am the CRE at St. Joseph and San Juan Bautista in Lancaster, and also the Director of Plaza San Juan Bautista Cultural Center.
How has the formation program helped you grow spiritually?
The formation program has been a blessing for both Linda and I. Through our Formation team, the camaraderie among the class mates and prayer support from parishioners, it truly amplified the meaning of a “community of faith,” even in my personal journey. The formation program has helped in my spiritual growth with the addition in my life of a “spiritual director.”
