PORTAGE – “There’s a lot to celebrate tonight,” Bishop Robert J. McClory joyfully said in his opening remarks of the Deacon Jubilee Mass and the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders on Sept. 26 at Nativity of Our Savior.
Five men, from throughout the Diocese of Gary, officially received their call to candidacy and will continue their formation to the permanent diaconate. These men recently graduated from the Lay Ecclesial Ministry, which serves as a foundation and is a prerequisite for the three-year diaconate formation program.
Several permanent deacons and their wives from across the diocese attended the Mass, including nearly all of the jubilarians who were honored at a dinner following the Mass.
The men who received their call to candidacy included Daniel Mills (St. James the Less), Uriel Martinez (St. Helen), Manuel Eena (All Saints), Bruce Garwood (Queen of All Saints) and George Boby (St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center).
Deacons celebrating their 15-year anniversary as permanent deacons include Martin Brown, Dennis Guernsey, Christopher Hawkins, Paul Krilich, Edward Shultz and Robert Vivano. Deacons celebrating 40 years include Joseph Manchak, Sherman Brown and Nicholas Jurasevich. Forty-two-year jubilarians include Gregory Fabian, Martin Denkhoff, Robert Gill and William Jones. Robert Bucheit, the lone survivor of the first diaconate class celebrated his 43 years of service.
“It’s always good to have an opportunity to celebrate those who are on the horizon, who are preparing to be ordained deacons and also celebrate those who are already ordained deacons,” said Bishop McClory
According to Deacon Brown, the 14 jubilarians this year have a combined 421 years of service in the diocese. He also announced 14 newly ordained deacons joined the diaconate this year.
For the five candidates, each felt the call to the diaconate at different times, all shared the same excitement about continuing their journey.
“I’m excited as much as I’m afraid, I’m looking forward to what God’s got in store for me next. There’s an insatiable thirst for God at this point,” said Boby.
He explained his journey began to become clearer about the time his wife was going through Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults back in 2018-19. “I went to (RCIA) classes with her and that set me in motion to say, “I need to do this, and I need to do it as soon as possible.”
Upon hearing his name, Boby felt the reality of the night and thought, “It’s really happening now.”
Mills’s story nearly parallels that of Boby’s, except it was Mills who entered the Church.
Mills, who was Baptist at the time, shared how there was an unwritten rule when he and his wife, Kelley, were dating, “If I wanted to spend time with her on Sunday mornings, I was going to have to be at church. I started going with her to Mass.”
He eventually went through the RCIA program and entered the Catholic Church.
“It’s very humbling. I am not worthy, but by the grace of God and the Holy Spirit, He has called me to do this. If this works out, I’m giving my wife all the credit,” said Mills.
Martinez shared how he is grateful for being called. He credits the Lay Ecclesial Ministry (LEM) program for helping him to discern his call to the diaconate.
“I think I’ve been called by the Lord in many other situations, but now this time, thank God, I’m listening,” he said.
Garwood added the LEM program helped prepare them for the next part of the journey.
“We have so much to learn and to grow, but I feel that we have a strong foundation under us as we move forward. I love this group of guys,” he explained.
Garwood, like the other candidates, credited his wife, Becky, as well.
“It’s a team effort to move forward,” he said.
Deacon Brown echoed the importance of wives in the life of a deacon.
“We all know that without our wives, we would not be able to do what we do. People often thank us, but rarely thank our wives,” he shared.
Eena beamed with joy following Mass as he received a hug from the bishop.
Now, officially a candidate, Eena said, “It’s all about service now.”
Deacon Jones was 40 years old, with a wife and three children at home when he was ordained. He wound up with youth ministry as part of his assignment, something that never crossed his mind but “enjoyed every minute of it. I had a ball. I had more fun than the kids did.”
He offered advice to the candidates and newly ordained deacons to be open minded when it comes to ministries and assignments.
“Be open to where you’re being called. The reason you were called is because you have a niche. You’ll find it,” said Jones.
“It’s refreshing to see new blood coming into the diaconate and see the excitement they have. It brings me back to when I was going through candidacy,” said Deacon Guernsey. “It’s been a great journey for me and I’m glad other men are answering the call.”
He said his time as deacon has brought him great joy and spiritual growth.
“They say the diaconate changes you forever, and for me, the better. I wouldn’t have been able to build the relationships I have. I couldn’t have done it without my wife by my side,” said Deacon Guernsey.
Bishop McClory offered the deacons, along with their wives and families, his gratitude for their “continued faithfulness and vibrancy. You’re an integral part of life in the local Church, helping in so many ways not just in parishes but also in non-parish ministries for which I’m extremely, extremely grateful.”
Caption: Daniel Mills, Uriel Martinez, Bishop Robert J. McClory, Manuel Eena, Bruce Garwood, and George Boby gather for a photo following the Deacon Jubilee Mass and the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders at Nativity of Our Savior on Sept. 26. (Deacon Bob Wellinski photo)