Baptism to the Baptised

Deacon Tim Grauel, 4 April 2024

Deacon Tim Grauel’s story is a winding adventure of the Spirit, across different countries, denominations, and life experiences. What seems constant has been his desire to learn about God’s presence in the world and to foster that awareness in others. 

Baptism has been an important touchstone for Tim. Growing up in the US, he had parents with Christian backgrounds, but no positive interest in the church.  At university, Tim started a course in scripture in Western literature. The lecturer was shocked that he bravely answered a question about who wrote the four gospels with “Moses and Jesus”! Tim was later baptised in a fundamentalist denomination at the age of 18.

As Tim’s money was running out, he accepted a small stipend to study in Australia, as the College was wanting to promote itself overseas. He became more involved in his church and, after marrying Carrie, his wife (who comes from Melbourne), they moved to Adelaide. Tim was ordained as a minister in 1985 and sent to Townsville, which included mission work in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

After being posted to Brisbane, Tim enrolled in the Brisbane College of Theology – an ecumenical institution of the Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Churches. Tim loved the study and became friends with people from across the denominations, including those preparing for the Catholic priesthood. Tim was ordained as a Uniting Church minister and continued his postgraduate studies.

Soon afterwards, Tim felt drawn to the Catholic Church, and as his wife’s health became very poor, he quietly began to attend daily Mass. He appreciated discussing his faith development with one of his lecturers, Fr Michael Putney (later Bishop of Townsville). Tim and his wife decided to return to Adelaide. He entered the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program. Tim rang his maternal grandmother, herself a convert to Catholicism, to tell her the news. But she was offended, saying, “You can’t do this!” Surprised, Tim asked her to keep talking. She explained, “You’re already a Catholic; you were baptised at 3 months old.” Now at age 47, this was a revelation to Tim. He found a “beauty in recognising my true home in the Catholic Church, and the dignity and grace of baptism.” It also gave him a strong sense of God’s design working in his life despite his own plans. 

When Tim came to Adelaide, Bishop Michael contacted Archbishop Philip Wilson to say, “Look after him and see what you can do for his journey.” Tim met monthly with a theologian priest, who encouraged him to consider the diaconate. Tim was thoroughly content as a lay member.  The Archbishop checked in every now and again to see where he was up to. For several years Tim had misgivings about clericalism and the absence of women deacons.  He wrestled with his sense of call during a retreat. Eventually he discerned that “the diaconate is one of several ways to support the role of the baptised. In Pope Francis’ inverted pyramid, clerics are there to support, nurture and animate the gifts and graces received at baptism.” 

In December 2015, Tim was ordained as a Deacon by Bishop Greg O’Kelly for the Archdiocese of Adelaide. Tim found the whole experience “very humbling” as he is “still learning what it is to be baptised.” Unlike the priesthood, he found that the diaconate opened up a whole lot of avenues for creative ministries. This is both “a beauty and also a challenge.” Tim serves within the Hallett Cove parish. He helps with baptisms, baptism preparation, weddings, premarital counselling, RCIA and monthly homilies.

For Tim, the diaconate is about much more than liturgy. It is about connecting “the Altar of the Lord and the Altar of the World.” His day job is in the Archbishop’s Office.  In his own time, he continues to clean his church, a ministry he has had for nearly 20 years. After some time taking the rubbish out to the bin, he realised that he passed a lot of people during the busy Catholic school drop-off time. So he decided that he needed to be where the people were. Once a month he sets up a trestle table and serves free tea and coffee in front of the church as young families accompany their children to the parish school. People share their stories, meet each other and occasionally want to have a look in the church. Sometimes when families come for baptisms, they recognise him, “Hey, you’re the carpark guy!”

Tim also recognises that “there are people connected to the Church quite loosely, and Pope Francis talks about accompanying them where they are.” While many may not come to church on weekends, they consider themselves part of the parish. Tim makes a big effort to reach out to families who come for baptisms and weddings, and offers preparation in their homes. “I learn a lot and there is a lot they learn inadvertently by your presence, manner and the fact that you’re there.” 

Tim reminds me that Jesus told his disciples to simply say “Peace be to this house”. As Tim is welcomed, he aims to make the baptisms and weddings welcoming experiences, without assuming those present understand about the readings and rich symbols. He “tries to open a door to a sense of mystery” and finds that the participants often connect with some part of it. For example, one family said that they had never thought of their child as ‘priest, prophet and king’ before. Tim’s efforts don’t make much sense in the eyes of the world; he says, “If this was a business I probably wouldn’t have enough KPIs.” For Tim, the sacraments are opportunities for the Spirit to work in the lives of the people in a way that he will never know. 

And so we have gone full circle – from Tim’s own baptism(s) to becoming a deacon, a baptismal celebrant. He says, “if we don’t understand what is happening at baptism and God’s Spirit working there, we won’t get the diaconal ministry or the integrity of the other ministries.” Tim’s ministry flows from his baptism, to empower all who are baptised in Christ.

Prayer Network