Deacons in Parramatta: Sharing the Good News

18 July, 2024

Often I have chased Deacons to hear their stories about life, calling and ministry. Well, the Diocese of Parramatta has just done the hard work for me. In Catholic Outlook, they have shared a series of interviews of their Deacons, which are all about Good News!

Most recently, Deacon Tony Hoban was featured as the Pastoral Director of St Luke’s Parish. Bishop Vincent Long Bishop Vincent said that Tony and his wife Annette “had done a stellar job in relationship and community building at Marsden Park. ‘They have prioritised the care of people and the nurturing of relationships. This is evident in the way people are involved in the social and sacramental life of the community. Together, they embody the injunction of Our Lord that Christian ministries be best exercised not in isolation, but in partnership with others. Tony and Annette have pioneered a different model of pastoral care and leadership. As we move into a synodal way of being Church, I hope that deacon-led communities will add to the rich tapestry of Catholic pastoral leadership.'” 

Earlier in July, Deacon Jerome D’Rozario reflected on his 18 months of ordained ministry. “Transitioning from a lay person to ordained servant of Christ has been a truly joyful and fulfilling experience. .. Before the Mass, when I put on my dalmatic, I feel enveloped in Christ’s love, becoming a sign of His presence in the community. My mission now is to proclaim Christ through my words and actions… Beyond my ministry in the Mass, I have the privilege of baptising babies and children, welcoming new members into the Body of Christ, the Church. I take great joy and pride in baptising children and feel at ease doing so… Reflecting on my journey as a deacon, I see that I have grown in my faith and my own spiritual life over the year. Each morning, I wake up with a heart full of gratitude to God for my vocation and for God’s boundless love and compassion… In conclusion, this servant-ministry journey is profoundly rewarding and fulfilling. It brings healing and hope to the community as we walk together on our journey of faith. We bear witness to the enduring presence of God’s love in the world, illuminating the path toward a future filled with grace and redemption. “

Two days before, Deacon Batsirai Maringehosi was interviewed. He responds to the question “What has been a highlight of your first year as a permanent deacon?” as follows: “My main highlight was having an opportunity to meet and interact with young families during infant baptisms.”  Then, with great honesty and vulnerability, he responds to “What has been something that you have learnt about yourself over your first year in ministry?” by saying, “There is always this sense of inadequacy in me. You never get used to it, every Sunday is new and different. You are never certain if are doing the right thing before God and His people, you are never fully ready. Perhaps it’s a weakness I need to connect with Jesus Christ more. I need His wisdom, His guidance and strength in the ministry. Also, I am a slow starter. I probably need to come out of my shell a bit more. “

Deacon David Dowling, after the same length of time in ordained ministry, also responds to these interview questions. To the first: “Every part of being a deacon has been so fulfilling. I love serving the altar, I love being able to proclaim the Word, I love being with the parishioners pastorally, being able to offer them accompaniment and blessing them when they ask. But if I had to pick one thing, it would be having the opportunity to break open the Word and give homilies that try to connect the scriptures to people’s lived lives in a real and relational way.” And to the second, “I have been very surprised at how much I love serving the altar. My journey to the diaconate was through lay ministry and I had never served as an acolyte, but I really love being so physically involved in the liturgies. It has brought them to life for me in a way I had not experienced before. “

In May, Catholic Outlook featured Deacon Menard Gaspi’s ordination to the diaconate, while he is also preparing to be ordained as a priest. Bishop Vincent preached that “His ordination gives us much hope, even if we are surrounded by challenges of all kinds.” Also, that Deacon Menard was “ordained to participate in his own way in the three-fold ministry of the Bishop: Word, Sacrament, and Charity.”

Earlier in April, Mary Brazell sat down for a Cuppa with Deacon Roderick Pirotta. In his role as Pastoral Director at Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Druitt South, he brings “all of my life’s skills, gifts and talents that God has given me”. He says, “I feel that priests have a vocation of taking us to Heaven, but as a deacon, I have a role of bringing Heaven to Earth and experiencing Heaven on Earth in what we do, through our devotions and how we express our love for Christ… Being pastoral director is an all-in-one role and I love all of it… We’ve established a beautiful relationship with the Sacred Heart primary school and now the students come every week for Mass or when they have a religion lesson, they come to the church to learn… One of the beautiful joys of the ministry as a couple is the witness that we give to the parishioners… [Kathryn and I] share the decision-making, the experiences, the successes and the disappointments in the ministry, and she often spends a few hours a week helping me at the parish as well.” 

Deacon Michael Tan’s inspiring homilies are also posted at intervals, most recently on the 11th of March 2024. His professional background in the world of medicine adds a particular richness to his reflections and proclamation of the gospel.

Surely all these wonderful examples of diaconal ministry in Australia will encourage us to value and promote it as a Church, and to pray for all those who may be called to the ordained life.

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