You may have noticed things have been quiet around these parts. I spent Friday in Nashville at the annual convention of the National Association of Diaconate Directors (NADD), where I gave a talk on social media and the ministry of charity.
It was a great event, with a couple hundred deacons and deacon directors mulling around. I got to rub elbows with a few celebrities (see below) and attend mass at Nashville’s beautiful Cathedral of the Incarnation (a remarkable liturgy with two bishops and six deacons!). My thanks to NADD for their wonderful hospitality, and especially to Deacon Ron Deal of Nashville and his extraordinary team who made everything proceed flawlessly.
Nashville’s Cathedral of the Incarnation
With Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz
With Deacon James Keating and Jim Alt (former editor and publisher, Deacon Digest)
Join the Discussions of the Year of Faith
Great pics, Greg! Oh, happy Easter, btw!
I understand that some of the talks at this gathering were well worth pondering. Any chance some of them might get posted or linked?
Loved the picture with Archbishop Kurtz, or ABK as he is affectionately called here in East Tennessee. We miss him terribly.
Greg:
It was great finally meeting you in person and learning of your connection to the Washington, DC area. As a member of the NADD Board of Directors, I was very proud of our organization and the quality of this convention. The facilities, the speakers, the business sessions were outstanding. It is one of my hopes that, in the future, we will be able to open some portion of our annual gathering to the wider diaconate community as there is much to be shared. Thank you, Deacons Ditewig and Keating, all of our speakers and the Diocese of Nashville for making this convention a quality production.
Ken #4
“It is one of my hopes that, in the future, we will be able to open some portion of our annual gathering to the wider diaconate community as there is much to be shared.”
I did go to the great Deacon/ Deacon-Wives gathering in New Orleans but that was over 16 years ago now. Maybe it is about time that NADD understands that it may have to be the catalyst to see that initiative through. Get it in gear, though. If we have to wait another 16 years, a bunch of us will be called to a far more cosmic reunion and won’t be able to make the one here.