The Deacon's Bench
Information is scarce right now, but this story popped up on my news feed, from The Billings Gazette:
Greg Simpson has always had a thing for serving people.
When Simpson was in the Navy out to sea on six-month deployments, he would preside as a lay reader over Word and Communion services for his fellow Catholics because there wasn’t a priest onboard.
He has volunteered the past eight years for AIDSpirit in Billings, cooking meals and taking them to clients in the program. Simpson and his wife, Kathleen, also are part of the outreach program for St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Billings, visiting residents at Mission Ridge once a month to serve Communion and also doing home visits.
So when he was approached in 2009 about the possibility of studying to become a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, it seemed a natural extension of what he’s been doing all along.
That year, he and Kathleen attended an inquiry weekend at the University of Great Falls to hear what four years of extensive theological study and spiritual formation would entail. He was one of 54 men to attend, most with their wives.
“Listening to what the commitments were, I thought ‘yeah, this is something I think I could really do,’ ” he said, sitting with his wife in the sanctuary at St. Thomas.
Now, with his studies completed, he will set out on that calling.
On Saturday, Greg and eight other men from around the diocese will be ordained to the order of permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. Bishop Michael Warfel will preside over the 11 a.m. ceremony at St. Patrick Co-Cathedral in Billings.
The diocese has not had an actual formation program for deacons in more than 30 years, said Deacon Mark Zenner of Great Falls, program director of the permanent deacon course. When Warfel came to the diocese in 2008, he initiated discussions about resurrecting it, Zenner said.
He is quick to say that being a deacon is not a job, but a ministry, a calling. Their work is not paid.
In the diocese, Zenner said, the bishop shares sacraments, takes care of the needs of the people and has some administrative work. Priests assist in sacramental work, and deacons aid the bishop in other ways.
“They are ministers assigned and sent by the bishop,” Zenner said. “The bishop sends them to be his voice and hands and his ears for issues of charity and justice.”
Read more and see a full list of the newly ordained at the link.
Congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Ad multos annos!
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