By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – Surrounded by family, friends, priests, deacons, and fellow seminarians, Will Foggo was ordained to the transitional diaconate on Saturday, Nov. 29, at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz ordained Foggo, marking the final stage of formation before his anticipated priestly ordination on May 16, 2026.
Foggo, a lifelong member of the Diocese of Jackson, grew up at St. Paul Catholic Church in Flowood and attended St. Richard School in Jackson and St. Joseph School in Madison. He later became deeply involved in Catholic Campus Ministry during his years at Mississippi State University, where he first began to sense a persistent call to priesthood.
“I never had one specific moment,” Foggo said. “It was a series of events and the work of prayer and reflection over the course of a few years that led me to enter seminary.”
During the Rite of Ordination, Father Nick Adam, Director of Vocations, presented Foggo to Bishop Kopacz and testified that he had been found worthy after inquiry among the faithful and those overseeing his formation. The bishop then formally chose Foggo for the Order of the Diaconate.
In his homily, Bishop Kopacz reflected on the foundations of faith laid by Foggo’s family, parish community, and those who walked with him in discernment. He emphasized the distinct call of the diaconate as a ministry “set apart to serve – not above, but at the heart of the church – in service to God’s Kingdom.” He also highlighted Pope Leo XIV’s teaching that charity is the “burning heart” of the church’s mission, noting that the diaconate embodies this spirit in a particular way.
Foggo said the Litany of Saints, during which the ordinand lies prostrate before the altar, was especially profound for him. “The Litany has always been my favorite part of any ordination,” he said. “The entire church is praying for the ordinand that he may fully give of himself to the Lord and the church.”
His devotion to prayer has long been central to his discernment. He often turns to the rosary and Eucharistic adoration, describing them as powerful moments of encountering Christ. He also carries a deep affection for St. Joseph – his confirmation saint – drawn to the saint’s humility and quiet strength. Fittingly, Foggo will now return to St. Joseph parish in Starkville, where he was active during his MSU years, to serve as deacon up until his ordination to the priesthood.
“It is an honor and an act of divine providence that I am able to serve one of the communities that helped to form me,” Foggo said. “I am excited to begin preaching and the sacraments and to get to better know the people I will be serving.”
At the close of Mass, Father Nick expressed gratitude to all who supported Foggo throughout his formation. He noted the joyful presence of Foggo’s family – including his parents, John and Sheila Foggo – and shared a memory of the day Chris Diaz, who proclaimed the first reading at the ordination, brought Will to his office to receive his seminary application.
As Foggo begins his ministry as a transitional deacon, his prayer is simple: “That the Lord will give me the necessary graces to serve His people the best I can and do His will.”
Foggo will serve at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Starkville until his priestly ordination on May 16, 2026, when he will return to the cathedral to be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Jackson.