Ordained: 2010
My Family: Wife and my best friend for the last 32 years, Amy; our two daughters: Lori (Thomas) and Leeza (Kevin), and we have been blessed with several grandchildren.
Profession: Retired Gunnery Sergeant, United States Marine Corps, 1987-2007; 13 years with the North Carolina Community College System, I was the dean of an extended campus. Currently working with a company as the director of operations, where we look for and bid government contracts.
Home Parish: Annunciation Catholic Church, Havelock. We returned from Okinawa, Japan, to Havelock prior to my retirement from the Marine Corps and are celebrating over 20 years at this parish.
Assigned parish: Annunciation Catholic Church, Havelock, NC
Hobbies: I enjoy writing and speaking about our faith. I have published one book, The Apostles and Me, and two booklets, Confirmed and Ready and Living a Catholic and Moral Life. I am currently working on my second book, Embodied in Service.
When did you first consider a vocation to the diaconate?
We were stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, on instructor duty, and I reluctantly participated on a men's retreat, Christ Renews His Parish (CHiRP). What a wonderful experience this was. After the retreat, several of us discerned our participation to lead the next one. During this discernment process in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I heard/felt (no words to truly describe) the calling to the diaconate.
What is your favorite part of being a deacon?
I enjoy every aspect of being a deacon; however, I feel that I most enjoy being with the people of God and ministering to their needs. This comes through pastoral counseling, marriage preparation, visiting with the sick, meeting people where they are, and helping them along their journey to come to know and love Christ.
What would you say to someone considering the diaconate?
I would encourage he and his wife (if married) to have open and honest discussions with other deacons and their wives. Everyone's experience is a little different, and following Christ in the diaconate is an attractive but sometimes a difficult undertaking. I would urge the couple to understand and ask if they are living the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. This may seem daunting at first for many, and I dare say even impossible, yet our Lord makes the impossible to be possible. Isn’t that what is called for each and every one of us to do, especially as we practice and live our diaconia? To be a deacon, to be Christ the servant, means we need to become uncomfortable in areas of our lives for the greater glory of God. Is that not what Jesus did? Is that not what the apostles did?
What surprised you the most about the diaconate?
I would say two things: first is being allowed to elevate the Chalice during Mass; I am still filled with awe every time this happens. Secondly, I miss sitting next to my wife at Mass. We are together at Mass, however, there is something to be said about being able to sit with your wife.
What is the most joyful revelation you’ve had about the diaconate since your ordination?
Oddly enough, it's how much I still don't know. I'm fortunate that I hold a Masters in Pastoral Theology, and I have been exposed to a lot through graduate school. However, it's amazing to me the joy of learning more and more each year as I continue this wonderful journey as a deacon.
What is your favorite scripture passage?
I have two actually. The first is Matthew 25:31-46, the Judgment of Nations. Here our Lord explains the diaconate very clearly in this passage, and I dare say living a life that Christ wants all of us to live. The second is John 4:4-42, The Samaritan Woman. This is the pastoral counselors go-to as a reminder of how Jesus met the woman where she was and gently and lovingly brought her to "know" him—which we ought to do with everyone we encounter along our journey as well. These two (and many other) passages are always on the forefront for me to remind me of what the diaconal ministry is.
Who is your favorite saint and why?
Can one really have a favorite? There are so many to choose from, but if I had to pick, it's a tie between St. Pope Gregory the Great and St. Pope John Paul II. Both of these men are truly remarkable. A wonderful quote from St. Pope Gregory the Great is: "If we knew at what time we were to depart from this world, we would be able to select a season for pleasure and another for repentance. But God, who has promised pardon to every repentant sinner, has not promised us tomorrow. Therefore, we must always dread the final day, which we can never foresee. This very day is a day of truce, a day for conversion. And yet we refuse to cry over the evil we have done! Not only do we not weep for the sins we have committed, we even add to them.... If we are, in fact, now occupied in good deeds, we should not attribute the strength with which we are doing them to ourselves." A wonderful quote from St. Pope John Paul II is: "True freedom is not advanced in the permissive society, which confuses freedom with license to do anything whatever and which in the name of freedom proclaims a kind of general amorality. It is a caricature of freedom to claim that people are free to organize their lives with no reference to moral values, and to say that society does not have to ensure the protection and advancement of ethical values. Such an attitude is destructive of freedom and peace."
Is there anything else you want people to know about you or the diaconate?
The term "deacon" itself means minister or servant, and it is used in this sense throughout the New Testament. Jesus, as the Son of God, came to serve and minister to humanity, exemplifying the true essence of the diaconal ministry. In the Gospels, we see numerous instances where Jesus demonstrates his diaconal ministry. One notable example is found in Mark 10:45, where Jesus states, "For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." This verse encapsulates the core of Christ's ministry, emphasizing his selfless service to others. Jesus' entire life was dedicated to serving humanity, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and proclaiming the Good News of salvation. Spend time reflecting upon that verse in prayer and meditation.