The Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano ordained eight new deacons during two recent ordination services. On January 25th, Miguel Ángel Castilleja Escobar, Casey Jamaal, Amirthaseeli Jeyaseelan Beulah Koila, and Katharine Jane Akerman Schneider, were ordained as transitional deacons. On February 1st, Richard Frederick Ohlsen, Brenda Ronita Marshall, Susan Klopfer Ellinghaus, and Rickie Hilton Park, were ordained to the Vocational Diaconate.
Scroll down to see photos and recordings from each ordination, as well as short biographies of each of the new deacons.
January 25 | Ordinations to the Transitional Diaconate
About the Deacons
Richard Frederick Ohlsen lives in Shirley, NY. He has an undergraduate degree from SUNY Maritime College, a graduate degree from Norwich University, and is All but Dissertation for a doctorate from Walden University. He is currently manager of the Nuclear Materials Management Group at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Richard worked over 25 years in Emergency Management, working in disaster relief leadership during 9/11 and Katrina. Richard worked for Episcopal Relief and Development’s Domestic Disaster Program after Katrina. He also helped start Neighbor’s Being Human, a homeless ministry that serves those living in campgrounds along with the poor living in the Longwood and William Floyd School districts.
Richard is married to Maria, where they have two children, Mandi is an analyst in media who lives in Hoboken, NJ, and Kevin is studying Mechanical Engineering at Norwich University. Along with the children, they also have two fur babies, Bailey and Finn.
Brenda Marshall is a dedicated healthcare professional and committed member of her faith community. A Registered Nurse for 35 years, she began her studies at Hunter College and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Lehman College. For the past 27 years, she has worked at NYP Weill Cornell, where she is currently employed full-time as a Patient Flow Specialist in the Rehab Access Center.
For 25 years, Brenda has been an active member of St. Alban’s Episcopal Anglican Church in Canarsie. She has served as a Lay Minister for 13 years and as a Eucharistic Visitor for the past 10 years, bringing comfort and God's love to the sick and homebound. Her dedication extends to the St. Alban’s Altar Guild, Health Guild, Mission Committee, and the Barbados Rally of the Nations. She has also served as a Vestry Member, contributing to the church's governance and mission.
In November 2017, Brenda participated in a Cursillo weekend, and she continues to be an active member of the Cursillo community.
Outside of her professional and church commitments, Brenda enjoys traveling, writing poetry, solving word search puzzles, exploring nature through walks, and journaling.
She resides in Brooklyn with her family.
Susan Klopfer Ellinghaus, is a candidate for the diaconate whose faith journey has been deeply shaped by her church community and personal experiences. Baptized at St. Joseph’s in Queens Village and raised at St. Thomas’ in Farmingdale, Susan grew up immersed in church life through the Girls’ Friendly Society and Youth Group. She fondly remembers how faith was “in her blood,” even as she navigated challenges, such as being told by her mother at 14 that “women do not belong on the altar” when girls were first allowed to serve as acolytes.
After a fulfilling career in education, Susan felt drawn to offer herself fully to God’s work, inspired by the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel. Reflecting on her calling, she says, “I realized I wasn’t asking God for something, but offering Him the rest of my life.” This realization marked the beginning of her discernment process, which she views as a lifelong journey.
Susan’s path to ordination has been enriched by her involvement in various ministries, including teaching Sunday School at St. Mark’s, volunteering at St. Paul’s in Patchogue and Christ Church in Babylon, and participating in Sacred Ground. Her Seminarian days at St. Ann’s in Sayville hold a special place in her heart, as do the mentors who have guided her, including Fr. Jeff Stevenson, Fr. Ben Brenkert, Mo. Christina Van Liew, and the late Fr. Jerome Nedelka.
In addition to being a wife to Bob, mother to Chris, Scott, Heather, and Kristin, and grandmother to Taylor, Lily, and Hailey, Susan now prepares to embrace her new title: “Deacon.” She is filled with gratitude for those who believed in her and helped her along this journey. “Thank you for walking with me,” she says. “Watch out, world—here I come!”
Rickie Hilton Park was born in rural Guyana, a country in South America, where his journey of faith began. For over 30 years, he served as a Lay Minister and a member of the Fellowship of Vocation within the Anglican Church and Diocese in his home country.
In his professional life, Rickie worked as a Customs and Trade Administration Officer for more than 28 years, retiring from this role in 2015. After retiring, he migrated to the United States and joined St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. During this time, while completing his first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in 2021, he was challenged by his CPE supervisor to reflect on 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” This reflection brought greater clarity and awareness of God’s call to ministry, prompting Rickie to begin the discernment process for ordained ministry.
Rickie resides on Long Island with his wife, teenage son, and their elderly mothers. On February 14, he was entrusted with a field placement at St. Alban the Martyr in Queens, where he currently serves.
Grateful to God and those who have supported him, Rickie is committed to continuing his ministry in his new capacity as a deacon. He seeks God’s guidance as he serves all of God’s people in this part of His vineyard.
Miguel Escobar is a candidate for the transitional diaconate in the Diocese of Long Island with a particular focus on Spanish-speaking ministry.
Miguel earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2007 and has served in a variety of roles in the Episcopal Church since. He was communications assistant to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, managing program director for the Episcopal Church Foundation, and served as director of Anglican Studies and then operations director for Episcopal Divinity School. He also researches, writes, and presents on Christianity's conflicted relationship with money, wealth, and poverty. His first book is The Unjust Steward: Wealth, Poverty, and the Church Today.
Miguel grew up in the Texas Hill Country and attended Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio where he studied the Roman Catholic social justice tradition, Latin American liberation theologies, and minored in Spanish. He serves on several boards including Episcopal Relief & Development and Friends of Forward Movement.
Casey Jamaal Jones is a third-year masters of divinity student at Virginia Theological Seminary and a Candidate for Holy Orders from Grace Church Brooklyn Heights. In seminary, Casey serves as the President of the Justice and Reconciliation Society and an active member of the Seminarians of Color Union. Prior to seminary, Casey completed a year of service through Jubilee Year Los Angeles, an Episcopal Service Corps program. Prior to his year-of-service, Casey led campus, youth, and young adult ministries. Casey is active in the Interfaith America Emerging Leaders Network, the Episcopal Church African Descent Ministries Council of Advice, and the Union of Black Episcopalians. Casey is a graduate of Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia).
Casey is married to Amoni, a poet-scholar-activist and doctoral candidate at the University of California Santa Barbara. Amoni and Casey have one daughter, Amara. Besides ministry, Casey enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends.
Katharine “Kate” Schneider is a third year MDiv student at Union Theological Seminary. Prior to seminary, Kate served as the Director of Family Ministries at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City, NY. She currently serves as the Ministry Associate at Zion Episcopal Church, Douglaston, NY. She is excited by the magic that happens when our rich Episcopal tradition and creativity meet, and she seeks that out in liturgy and learning.
Kate earned her Bachelor of Science in Recreation Management at Appalachian State University. While in college she actively participated in campus ministry with the Presbyterian- Episcopal Campus Ministry. She is especially grateful to the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina’s youth ministry programs, HUGS Camp, and Camp Henry who all raised her up and encouraged her to listen to God’s call in her life. Above all, she is grateful to her parents, Mark and Mary Jane Akerman for raising her in this beautiful tradition and living as faithful examples of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and to her wife, Mariel Schneider who has supported her every step of the way of this long and winding path.
Kate is excited to continue to make her home in the Diocese of Long Island and begin her ordained ministry in service to Jesus Christ and His church.
Amirthaseeli Jeyaseelan Beulah Koila is a candidate for the priesthood and currently completing her internship at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, Ontario. Originally from Idayankulam village in Tirunelveli, South India, Amirthaseeli felt called to ministry from a young age. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she began serving as a Children’s Missionary in the Diocese of Tirunelveli. She later earned her Master of Divinity at the United Theological College in Bangalore, where she served as a Pastoral Assistant in several churches and worked in the city’s slums through an organization called Women’s Voice, addressing issues like domestic violence and alcoholism. During this time, she also served as a counselor at "Friends in Need," an interdenominational home for the aged.
After moving to the United States, Amirthaseeli pursued an M.A. in Pastoral Care and Counseling at the New York Theological Seminary, completing her Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Her M.A. thesis focused on helping young Indian immigrant couples build healthy relationships using Murray Bowen’s concept of differentiation of self. She also served as a Eucharistic Minister and Sunday School Coordinator at the Church of the Resurrection, Kew Gardens, Queens.
Amirthaseeli is married to the Rev. Joshua Samuel, a priest and theology professor at Huron University College in London, Ontario. Together, they are raising two children, Raphael (12) and Matthew (5).