Deacon Melquiades M. Maldonado, 89, died March 29 after a long illness. He was ordained in 1972 and served at St. Mark Parish. He served as president of the Renovación Carismática formed at St. Aloysius/St. Sylvester and helped expand it to other parishes.

Deacon Maldonado was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He married Petra M. Rios in the Cathedral San Felipe Apóstol there in 1949, and had two sons before moving the family to Chicago in 1953.

The family had five more children in Chicago, where Deacon Maldonado worked at Zenith for many years.

After being ordained, he ministered at St. Mark and with other deacons formed the Renovación Carismática movement at St. Sylvester/St. Aloysius, and was on the Hispanic Catholic Carismática television program. He was instrumental in developing and implementing many programs for the charismatic movement through its retreats and conferences as a speaker and religious leader.

Deacon Maldonado is survived by his children  Melquiades Jr., Jose, Edgardo, Ruben, Jacqueline Torres, and Annette Ercole; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Jose Antonio Maldonado. He was preceded in death by his wife, Petra, and daughter Gladys Torres.