WASHINGTON — A Biddeford native will be ordained as a deacon of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. by Washington Archbishop Wilton Gregory during a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday.

Mark L. Asselin is from Biddeford and following college for undergraduate studies, he spent a few years in the Society of Jesus, and then earned a masters degree in fine arts history, and a masters degree and doctorate in Chinese language and literature.

Asselin works as a senior manager with the Department of Defense. He is married to Son Vuong, a State Department architect, and they have a daughter, Sydney Asselin, who is a student at Carnegie Mellon University,

The family have been members of St. Elizabeth Parish in Rockville, Maryland for nearly 20 years and Asselin and his wife currently serve as catechists at their parish and in a variety of other ministries.

Asselin also leads a popular monthly “Faith through Film” discussion group for the parish and his summer ministries have included serving the immigrant community under the auspices of Community Ministries of Rockville, the elderly through the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the terminally ill as a Montgomery Hospice volunteer.

As a permanent deacon of the archdiocese, Asselin will continue to visit sick parishioners, teach the faith, offer counseling to couples and individuals, work on parish committees and councils and give advice to pastors. He also will be able to baptize, witness marriages, perform funeral and burial services outside of Mass, distribute Holy Communion, preach the homily given after the gospel at Mass.