Note From The Pastor
 
Meet a Deacon in Training
 
This week, I want to introduce to you a candidate preparing to be a permanent deacon.  He is from our pastorate and part of his ministry preparation will happen here.  He is among four others who are in the midst of their preparation, which we call formation, to become a permanent deacon.
  
Mike O’Brien and his wife Nickie are parishioners at Holy Spirit parish and have been involved in ministry at Holy Spirit for a number of years.  They have four adult children and five grandchildren.  Mike works for a software development company.  I first met Mike and Nickie in 2018, through the application process to become a permanent deacon.  I was part of the acceptance board and was part of the panel that interviewed them.  The application process is very thorough and they did very well.  Wives are also interviewed, and take part in formation to facilitate their growth in the faith and what it means to be the wife of a deacon.  I also taught Mike, and the others in his cohort (class of candidates), an academic course in Spiritual Theology back in 2019. 
 
A brief summary on the role of deacons in the Church may be helpful.  Deacons receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders and are ordained primarily to serve in the ministry of charity and at the altar.  “Deacon” means servant.  Deacons may preside at baptisms, weddings, and funeral rites outside of Mass.  As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
“Deacons share in Christ’s mission and grace in a special way.  The sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint (“character”) which cannot be removed, and which configures them to Christ, who made himself the ‘deacon’ or servant of all.  Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.”  (CCC #1570).  
 
Deacons may be celibate or married.  Every priest (and bishop) is first ordained a deacon and then, after 6 months to a year of ministry as a deacon, are ordained to the priesthood.  Men called to the diaconate later in life, are sometimes referred to as, “Permanent Deacons” since they are not preparing for the priesthood. Their ministry is generally in addition to their first vocation which is the sacramental marriage and family life.  Most deacons have or have had jobs in the secular world.  In our pastorate, we have one such deacon, Deacon Gary Kuenz.  While you haven’t seen him recently due to the pandemic, we look for him to return to ministry soon. Deacon Kuenz has served as a deacon since 1992 in various parishes. 
 
The formation to become a deacon is a five-year process and involves human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation.  Mike O’Brien is midway through this process and, God willing, he is on track for ordination to the diaconate in the fall of 2023.  Nickie also participates in the formation that is required of the wives of deacon candidates.  Formation has a number of components and involves ministry practicums in various settings.  One setting is in liturgy.  In the coming weeks, Mike will be taking a more visible role at some of the liturgies at both St. John Vianney and Holy Spirit.  In particular, he will be gaining experiencing serving at some Masses and leading some prayer.  His leading of prayer will begin with leading some of the Stations of the Cross at Holy Spirit this Lent.  As faith communities, we take part in the formation process by providing a place for ministry experience and our prayerful support. 
 
Please pray for and encourage Mike in his continued deacon discernment, and for both Mike and Nickie in their formation.  We are blessed to be able to take a small part in his deacon ministry formation.   Please also pray that there may be an abundance of Church vocations from within our pastorate.
 
“Jesus said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dale