Ben Daghir, Elk County Catholic High School Alumni Class of 2011, former faculty and coach, and Diocese of Erie seminarian will be ordained a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church this weekend.
Ben’s parents are Joe and Roben Daghir of St. Marys. Brothers include Luke Daghir and Nick Daghir. Ben received his degree in Secondary education at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 2015. Ben taught English at Elk County Catholic in 2015-2016 and coached varsity boys tennis that year.
Ben entered the seminary for the Diocese of Erie in the fall of 2016. He studied 2 years of philosophy at Gannon University through the St. Mark’s Seminary program. In 2018 Ben moved on to study theology in Baltimore at St. Mary’s Seminary and University. St. Mary’s Seminary and University was founded in 1791 and is also the first seminary in the United States of America. The studies at Baltimore is a four year program. Ben’s favorite assignment in Baltimore has been the homeless shelter.
Ben’s brother Luke Daghir also studies in Baltimore. With the help of God’s grace, we could have four years in a row with an ordination for the Daghir twins.
Notable alumni from St. Marys Seminary and University include: Fr. Kevin Holland, Fr. Jeff Noble, Fr. Ross Miceli, and Blessed Michael McGivney- the founder of the Knights of Columbus.
Ben’s plans after the ordination include following the bishop’s orders. His interests after ordination include further learning how to effectively use media to bring Christ to the culture. He looks forward to preaching and teaching as well. Ben is excited to learn from parishioners, family, friends, and many others on how to faithfully live out his role as a deacon.
This Saturday, May 1, is the day that Bishop Lawrence Persico will ordain three seminarians from the Diocese of Erie to the transitional diaconate. Benjamin Daghir, Christopher Wheeler and Nicholas Fratus will take this last step before their anticipated ordination to the priesthood in June 2022.
Fratus and Wheeler are completing their studies for the priesthood at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe and Daghir is studying at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.
