You are invited to Deacons: Sentinels and Guardians of Service in the Church

Wednesday March 9 7-8:30 PM EST on zoom

A free interactive theological panel featuring Bishop Gregory Parkes, Diocese of St. Petersburg,
Bishop Stephen Parkes, Diocese of Savannah, and Dr. Michael Tkacik, Saint Leo University.
In a recent address to deacons, Pope Francis called deacons Sentinels and Guardians of Service in
the Church. What does this mean for deacons and for those in formation to the diaconate today? Join
us for an evening of prayerful reflection on the meaning of the diaconate and the life of the
deacon with Bishop Gregory Parkes, Bishop Stephen Parkes, and Michael Tkacik, PhD.
https://saintleo.zoom.us/j/4100256986?pwd=M0ZwRjllb01XV0JHaFIvT0xFakJxQT09
Meeting ID: 410 025 6986 Passcode: password

Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Gregory L. Parkes as

Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg on November 28,
2016.

Bishop Parkes believes that serving for God’s glory is the

guiding principle of his ministry, which is why he chose, “To
your name give the glory” from Psalm 115, Verse 1 as his
pastoral motto. Prior to his appointment to the Diocese of St.
Petersburg, Bishop Parkes served as the fifth Bishop of the
Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee from 2012-2016.  Before
answering the call to the priesthood, Bishop Parkes worked for
several years in Tampa’s banking industry. During that time,
he attended Christ the King Catholic Church in South Tampa.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State

University. After much prayer before the Blessed Sacrament,
he realized that God had other plans for his life and he began
the path to priesthood. He entered the St. Vincent de Paul
Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach in 1993 and continued his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian
University in Rome where he graduated with a Sacred Bachelor of Theology (S.T.B.) and a Licentiate in
Canon Law (J.C.L.).

He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Orlando by Bishop Norbert Dorsey on June 26, 1999.

His assignments after ordination included parochial vicar at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando and
pastor of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration. Bishop Parkes served the Diocese of Orlando as
Vicar General and Chancellor for Canonical Affairs while also serving as pastor of Corpus Christi Parish.

Educational Background:
 BS. Finance, Florida State University, 1986
 S.T.B., Pontifical Gregorian University, 1998
 J.C.L., Pontifical Gregorian University, 2000
 Most Reverend Stephen D. Parkes was appointed the fifteenth
Bishop of the Diocese of Savannah by His Holiness Pope Francis
on July 8, 2020. He was consecrated and installed on September
23, 2020 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist,
Savannah by Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business

administration/marketing from the University of South Florida,
Tampa and worked in retail and banking before entering St.
Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boyton Beach, Florida in
1992.

Bishop Parkes was ordained a Priest of the Diocese of Orlando

on May 23, 1998 at St. James Cathedral, Orlando by Bishop
Norbert Dorsey, C.P. His first assignment in the diocese was
Parochial Vicar of Annunciation Catholic Church in Altamonte
Springs where he served until 2005. In 2004, he was appointed to
lead campus ministry at the University of Central Florida, the
second-largest university in the United States. He continued in this ministry until 2011, simultaneously
serving as Parochial Administrator for a new parish (Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, Oviedo) that
grew in its first years from 200 to 2000 families. In 2011, he returned to Annunciation Catholic Church
and was Pastor there until his appointment as Bishop of Savannah in 2020.

Born in 1965, Bishop Parkes grew up in Massapequa, Long Island, New York, the third son of Ronald
and Joan Parkes. His parents and eldest brother Christopher are deceased. His brother Gregory, also a
Priest, was installed as Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg in 2017. They are the 11th pair of brother-
Bishops in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States.

In his personal time, Bishop Parkes enjoys the outdoors: long bicycle rides, kayak excursions, hiking trips
and traveling with his brother Bishop.

Educational Background:

 1979–1983 Massapequa High School, Massapequa, NY

 1983–1987 B.S. Business Administration/Marketing, University of South Florida, Tampa
 1992–1998 M.A. Theology/M.Div., St. Vincent de Paul Seminary, Boynton Beach

Dr. Michael J. Tkacik is an Associate Professor of

Theology at SLU’s home campus. Dr. Tkacik recently
completed three years as serving as the Secretary for
Ministries for the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. In
his work for the Diocese, Dr. Tkacik served as a liaison
between the Bishop and the Diocesan offices of:
schools; communications; catechesis; evangelization and
life-long faith formation; as well as life, marriage,
family, youth, multi-cultural, and prison ministries;
ecumenical and inter-religious affairs; and various other
Diocesan apostolates. He currently teaches in all phases of the graduate, undergraduate, diaconal,
diocesan and online programs offered by Saint Leo University. His primary teaching interests and areas
of research are the sacramentology and ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council, ecumenism and
interreligious dialogue, and the roles of the laity and deacons within the Catholic Church.
In addition to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the past 30 years, Dr. Tkacik has also
been involved in the intellectual formation of deacon candidates for the past 27 years. Over the course
of his academic career, Dr. Tkacik has held a number of administrative positions, has served on numerous
diocesan committees, and has been a regular presenter at the College Theology Society and at various
parishes and diocesan events. He has also taught at Providence College in Rhode Island and Flagler
College in St. Augustine, Florida. Dr. Tkacik has also served as a visiting lecturer at a number of
Colleges/Universities including Auburn University and Spring Hill College in Alabama, and Emory and
Henry College in Virginia. Dr. Tkacik’s most recent books are Pneumatic Correctives: What is the Spirit
Saying to the Church of the 21st Century; Deacons: Ministers of Soul and Leaven; and Deacons and
Vatican II: The Making of a Servant Church.
He lives north of Tampa, Florida with his wife of 29 years, Suzy. He and Suzy are the proud parents of
three sons, Charles (26), Benjamin (23) and Samuel (20). Dr. Tkacik enjoys music, nature, dogs, weight-
lifting, tennis, iced tea, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Auburn Tigers.
Educational Background:
 Ph.D.  Duquesne University
 M.A.  Providence College
 B.A.  Auburn University

March 9 7-8:30 PM EST on zoom

https://saintleo.zoom.us/j/4100256986?pwd=M0ZwRjllb01XV0JHaFIvT0xFakJxQT09
Meeting ID: 410 025 6986 Passcode: password

For more information contact Dr. Randall Woodard randall.woodard@saintleo.edu 352 588-8239 or visit
www.saintleotheology.com