Bishop Dabney Smith ordained three people to the Sacred Order of Deacons and received two Roman Catholic priests into the Episcopal Church at a special service on Saturday, June 6, at St. Peter’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

David Jackson from Church of the Epiphany in Cape Coral, and Jane Kelly of St. James Episcopal Church in Port Charlotte, were ordained as vocational, or permanent deacons. Sarah Kerr, from St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in St. Petersburg, was ordained as a transitional deacon, a step in the process of being ordained as a priest.

In addition, the Rev. Ronald Kowalski, from Calvary Episcopal Church in Indian Rocks Beach, and the Rev. Dwayne Varas of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tampa were received as priests in the Episcopal Church. View photos from the event by clicking here.