For the majority of his career, Randall Waguespack has worked with people grappling with disabilities, providing services where needed, walking alongside them on their unique albeit challenging journeys.
Along the way he has also had the opportunity to volunteer in hospice units and nursing homes. Through those experiences he has felt a calling to help those individuals as well.
“I’m just drawn to being able to service and minister to people in those areas,” Waguespack said.
A new position in the Diocese of Baton Rouge will allow Waguespack to integrate his career and volunteer experiences into one vitally important ministry, one that will have him ministering to the infirmed, hospitals, the imprisoned while assuring the dignity of life for all.
Waguespack, who is scheduled to be ordained a permanent deacon Aug. 13 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge, was recently hired as the director of the Office of Life, Peace and Justice for the diocese. His duties will include evaluating and coordinating nursing homes, hospitals, prison and pro-life ministries.
A large and divergent umbrella to be certain but where there is a need he will be there.
“Really any pastoral services we find a need for in the diocese for pastoral care,” he said. “It is very broad right now but I’m sure it’s going to get more focused.”
“It just seemed like a natural fit with my desire to bring Christ to as many people as I can,” Waguespack said.
Vicar General Father Jamin David said the position was borne out of the vision of Bishop Michael G. Duca.
“Offering strategic leadership to parishes and apostolates through advocacy, education and service are essential for the church to reach out to the most vulnerable and have been one of the bishop’s top priorities in his episcopacy,” Father David said. “The Office of Life, Peace and Justice, in line with Bishop Duca’s vision to serve the common good to the infirm, those in nursing facilities, the incarcerated and those without a voice, especially the unborn, will do this by creating a culture of encounter within our diocese.”
Waguespack’s vision is to ensure people have an opportunity to participate in and receive the Eucharist and for the diocese to have a Catholic presence where people can see the church as a place to experience healing and come to services.
“And to bring more and more people into the church,” he said. “We all must share the same understanding that we want to make Christ available to all people and to meet people on the margin.”
Waguespack outlined his vision for the several ministries he will be coordinating.
PRISON MINISTRY
Waguespack, a native of Vacherie who has lived in Albany for the past 11 years, said he will be collaborating with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge regarding prison ministry. Deacon Tim Messenger, a deacon assistant at St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Church in Albany, currently coordinates prison ministry for the diocese, focusing more on prison chaplains, who are often deacons.
Linda Fjeldsjo is coordinator of prison ministry for CCDBR.
“This is not intended to be a replacement of what (CCDBR) is doing, and there have been no discussions of them falling under this,” Waguespack emphasized.
However, one of his and the bishop’s goals is to have a presence at parish prisons. Those services have been previously offered only in state prisons.
“It is definitely important to be able to bring (inmates) into the church and to help them with their healing and to receive the sacraments,” Waguespack said. “It is an untapped area.”
“That will be a challenge for several reasons,” he added. “One is because of COVID-19 and then for (parish prison officials) to accept us there.”
RESPECT LIFE
Waguespack said the diocese will soon be filling the position of respect life coordinator, which has previously fallen under the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. He noted the new coordinator will report to him but the Evangelization and Catechesis office will still be involved in pro-life issues.
“The part under me will include more of the pastoral care, such as how do we minister to ladies who are considering abortions,” Waguespack said. “And then to people even after they had an abortion. How do we minister to them and to help with the healing and bring them back to the church?”
HOSPITALS/NURSING HOMES
Waguespack noted there are 110 nursing homes and assisted living programs in the diocese. He is unsure as to how many of those are receiving diocesan services but his objective is to minister where no services are currently provided.
“We don’t want people who are unable to attend Mass to lose that part of their spirituality,” he said. “The opportunity for last rites and the sacraments is essential for people
He said it is important in all areas of his new ministry to help Catholics who may not be currently practicing to find faith and to minister to them.
“I think in all areas that you are looking at, it’s definitely essential we go beyond the walls of our churches and parishes and minister to people who can’t make it to us,” he said. “We want to make Christ available to all people and to meet people on the margin.”