The Deacon's Bench
That’s the happy conclusion of this joy-filled deacon from Australia, who shares his enthusiasm for his vocation with the Catholic Leader newspaper of Brisbane:
If a barometer existed to measure exuberant faith, Deacon Gary Stone’s reading would be off the charts.
“I’m hyperactive,” he admits, grinning, easily elaborating on how ministry as a married deacon propels him to communicate such joy.
“I have two jet engines.
“One is the Sacrament of Marriage and one is the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
“My first priority is to be a good husband and father.
“Then, as a minister of the archbishop, I go to where the Church isn’t as present and isn’t as active – I call it ‘on the margins’.”Today (July 3), Deacon Gary, along with the other 14 married deacons in Brisbane archdiocese, will experience the final day of a national conference.
He will give a talk on “Practicing what you teach” and was particularly animated when sharing some of his themes.
“Firstly, (the ministry of a married deacon) must be a response to God call and the community need … (and) we fundamentally need an attitude of service,” he said.
“We need to believe that we have graced by ordination for a sanctifying mission in society.
“Thirdly, we need to remember that we are blessed through the Sacrament of Marriage and to minister from that sacrament as well.
“… I believe that all of the life experiences that we’ve had in the past, are part of God’s design preparing us all the ministries that we exercise in the future … (and) it’s vitally important that we bring a spiritual orientation and ministry of evangelisation to the world beyond the Church.
“(And) finally we can model and can lead in the charitable ministry of a missionary church … words must lead to action in fulfilling the mission God has for us in our world.”
There’s much more. Check it out. He’s lived an amazing life. There’s an old saying that the best advertisement for the priesthood is a happy priest. I think the same might said for the diaconate.
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