Bishop tells new deacons: ‘serve, serve, serve’

On the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey ordained six brothers of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity to the transitional diaconate.

“A tired body with a joyful heart is what I hope for you throughout your life of service. That will be the measure for yourself and your own examination,” Bishop Mulvey told the new deacons.

The ordination Mass was celebrated at the Corpus Christi Cathedral with family, friends and the SOLT community present. Those who were received into the diaconate include Brother Alphonsus Zaldy Martin Abainza, SOLT; Brother Tristan Donnelly Abbott, SOLT; Brother Patrick Earl Prajzner II, SOLT; Brother Michael Wayne Slovak, SOLT; Brother Juan Villagómez, SOLT; and Brother Michael Mary Mercy of Christ Crucified Wight, SOLT.

Bishop Mulvey told the future priests that their Baptismal call must always remain front and center for they were committed to God and to Jesus Christ when baptized.

“We’re all servants, but in particular ways deacons are called to serve particular needs to be a particular presence in the mission of the church today,” Bishop Mulvey said.

Deacons serve as servants of the word, servants of some of the sacraments and “above all” servants of charity.

Too often, Bishop Mulvey said, “we have substituted the substance of the word with beautiful devotions, beautiful prayers based on the word” but the church is asking us “not to forget our devotions, but to center our personal lives and the preaching we give to the name of Jesus Christ…to give the word focus.”

“You must eat those words, incorporate those words, be transformed by those words and become those words. Then preach,” Bishop Mulvey told the six new deacons.

“Devotion does not substitute the word, it embellishes the word. The word of God as written in the Gospels as spoken by Jesus Christ must be pure and simple, a transparent call to all of us even in the most difficult situations,” the bishop said.

The bishop told the deacons, not to let rituals become a habit. He told them to be aware that the baptized are precious to God, to the church and to society. Baptism is introducing a child to a new life.

“Be patient with those who come for marriage,” Bishop Mulvey said. “We who study theology have a couple in front of us who have no idea what we are talking about; they may not be even coming to church, someone pushed them to church. Get your hooks into them. We don’t get our hooks into them by repeating our theology; we get our hooks into them by loving them, by guiding them of the truth and beauty of the sacrament.”

Since his elevation to the papacy, Pope Francis “constantly reminds the pastors of the church not to throw theology at them, throw them nets of God’s unending love and mercy” instead.
Funerals are another opportunity for the new deacons to live the word. Some funerals will be for “saints and those less than saints” but they should remember God in his mercy will take care of those lying in the coffin.

“Many times in those moments of ritual, our audience is sitting in front of us alive,” Bishop Mulvey said. “Speak your heart to them. Call them to a new life.”

In front of the bereaved is their destiny. They forget that we are destined for eternal life, the bishop said. It’s not all here. “Those moments in funeral services somehow remind us that our true moments are in heaven. Be kind and compassionate to those families you serve on the death of their loved ones. Bring them to a better life.”

The most important service they will perform as deacons is being “servants of charity.”
“We are called to that service. That is the Gospel in action. That is characteristic of your call as deacons,” Bishop Mulvey said.

He reminded the new deacons of Pope Paul VI’s advice, “Today people do not listen to teachers but they will listen to witnesses, they will listen to that person who exemplifies what they believe in.”

The bishop urged them to be a “witness of charity, of love; laugh with those who laugh; cry with those who cry; mourn with those who are mourning; calling them to hope, give to those who ask from you.”

“We have only one right, one privilege as a servant of God in the church and that is the right to serve; even to those who don’t want our service,” the bishop said. “That spirit can break down any wall, tear apart any chain and unleash any barrier between two people. Serve, serve, serve.”

As members of the SOLT community, the new deacons will be called to serve in communities in the United States and internationally. Deacon Abainza will remain in Corpus Christi at St. Joseph Parish. The others will be assigned to North Dakota, Colorado, Belize and two will go to Sacred Heart Seminary.