Southern Utah deacons celebrate 10-year ordination

IC photo by Marie Mischel

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At the 10-year anniverwsary celebration of the Washington County deacon class were, from left, Deacon Rigoberto and Maria Aguirre, Deacon Denny and Gail Davies, Deacon Jack and Barbara Gorman, Deacon Rogaciano and Juanita Tellez, Bishop John C. Wester,

ST. GEORGE – A decade ago, six men responded to the call of Christ in Washington County by undertaking a five-year journey to become ordained permanent deacons for the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Time has thinned their ranks – one moved out of the state and another died – but their journey continues, full of surprises, joys and, of course, service.

The men and their wives were feted at a lunch Oct. 24 that was attended by the Most Rev. John C. Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City and Father Oscar Martin Picos, pastor of Saint George Parish. The deacons, their wives and assignments are Rigoberto and Maria Aguirre, St. George Parish; Denny and Gail Davies, Christ the King Parish; Jack and Barbara Gorman, St. George Parish; Joe Regan (deceased), Pat Regan lives in St. George; and Rogaciano and Juanita Tellez, St. George Parish.

“Deacons are ordained for service to the Church, particularly to preach the Word of God,” Bishop Wester said.

Deacons also perform baptism, witness weddings, assist at burials and funeral services, visit the sick, counsel people, and prepare people for baptism, confirmation and marriage. In addition, they are mandated to pray for the Church in the Liturgy of the Hours.

The permanent deacons in Washington County have fulfilled these tasks, and more.

“For the past 10 years I’ve been busy with tasks I hadn’t really planned on,” said Deacon Gorman. “I hadn’t really planned on doing weddings, although they told me in the course of training that I would. And I’ve done about 10 years worth of baptisms. I’ve never had an infant cry when I baptized them. I have no idea why.”

His biggest surprise, however, was when he was called to step in for then-Bishop George Niederauer, who had been scheduled to give an explanation of the Mass at the Mormon tabernacle in Saint George. Because of circumstances, the bishop was unable to make it, so Deacon Gorman was tapped for the chore. “They were nice people; they listened,” he said, although the next day Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, the diocese’s vicar general, arrived to repeat the presentation.

Early in his career Deacon Gorman coordinated the RCIA program, which he enjoyed. Now, however, his primary service is assisting at daily Mass.

“I had more time earlier on, but for the past two or three years I’ve been the primary caregiver for my wife,” he said. On Oct. 24 the couple celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary, so “I have to take care of her,” he said.

Like Deacon Gorman, Deacon Davies has been involved with the St. George RCIA program, where he has learned at least as much as he has taught, he said. “I’m learning so much from them. I wasn’t fully understanding the hurt that’s in people. I feel like I’ve been able to say something to them and help their development. It’s such a humbling thing. I didn’t realize how humbling the vocation would be. That has been a real difference.”

Unlike priests, deacons can be married; their wives are called to help them personally and ministerially. Gail Davies, Deacon Davies’ wife, said she has seen changes in both of them over the past 10 years. Her husband, she said, “was always gentle, but there’s more gentleness now.” For herself, she feels less the need to have to be in control, and finds herself less judgmental of other people. She attributes these changes to praying the Liturgy of the Hours with her husband. “It has done so much in me,” she said.

Father Picos said he is lucky to have so many deacons, who help him meet parishioners’ needs, including visiting the sick, assisting with the many groups within the parish, and celebrating the Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest at the missions. The deacons also sometimes preach when Fr. Picos is the main celebrant at a Mass. “That is a good opportunity for me to listen,” he said, because the deacons have different perspectives on life than he does, especially because they are married.

Having the deacons in active service “is good for the people,” Fr. Picos said. “They are able to see it is not about me, it is not about the deacons, it is about Christ. That is the key.”

In addition to helping priests with their workload, deacons also provide companionship of those who share many of the same concerns, Bishop Wester said.

The diocese ordained 21 permanent deacons in January; efforts are underway to begin a new class within the next 18 months, the bishop said. The new class very likely will take advantage of online learning to help alleviate the difficulty of men having to travel from all over the state twice a month to meet in person, he added.