Service to Others

Service to others, service to self and service to God was the message Bishop Michael G. Duca emphasized during his homily at the ordination of six permanent deacons Aug. 14 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge. 

During the beautiful rite so rich in tradition which was musically enhanced by the stunning cathedral choir, Deacon Michael Farnet, Deacon Glenn Hymel, Deacon Michael Parker, Deacon Eulis Simien Jr., Deacon Paul Soileau and Deacon Robert Templet Jr. were ordained in front of a near capacity crowd filled with family, friends and spiritual supporters.

Bishop Duca said service is the foundation of the sacrament of holy orders, a fact that grounds the sacrament where it is supposed to be.

And through that service, all of the other responsibilities that come with that are put into their proper place.

Quoting from an address Pope Francis delivered to the deacons of Rome, Bishop Duca said service is a human construct that flows from active revelation of God.

“God so loved the world he sent his son for our salvation,” the bishop said. “That very act of redemption, the word made flesh in Jesus Christ, God came down to us so that we might be made whole.”

“And of course at the Last Supper service and Eucharist are bound together,” he said. “For the greatest among you is the one who serves the rest.”

The bishop reminded the deacons service keeps holy orders from becoming “clericalism. Jesus never intended his (clergy members) to be a special priestly class over the people in a kind of strictly powerful way.”

“Brothers,” he directed the newly ordained deacons, “the first call to you is you are not to forget that. You are not called to lord this ministry over others but to be men of service, like Jesus was of service to us, and walk with those in need, be with them. Suffer with them but always call them to the hope that is found only in Jesus Christ and his church, the fullness of hope he offers to all who come to believe, who trust in him.”

“Be those gentle servants, strong in your commitment, relentless in your care, dynamic in your proclamation but gentle in your care,” he added. “May those be the qualities that bring you peace and joy in your ministry but also bring your ministry to life with the people of God.”

Bishop Duca delivered the same message of service to those in attendance, reminding them that through their baptism they are baptized into a life of service to others. 

He told the deacons that if their lives are not of serving freely, joyfully, with love to those in need according to one’s gifts and talents, then they are not living out the full Gospel. He said they are called to proclaim the good news that others might be saved and in giving of themselves to others so that those may be saved, which defines the deacons as true disciples of Jesus Christ.

“Your ministry is a public expression of that,” the bishop said. “You not only live it out but you proclaim it and you call others to that ministry. Even the priests and pastors and bishop around you.

“You are a wonderful, powerful gift to the church, especially when you live that out with the mind and heart of Jesus Christ.”

Bishop Duca told the deacons their ordinations is theirs but not just theirs. It’s also to be in service with the church, and they will operate their various ministries through the unity and people of God. 

He said being a public ministry their actions “speak many times louder than words. Let them always speak of Christ.”

The bishop explained how a policy enacted this year that assigns a ministry of charity to each deacon means “we keep alive a place in our heart for the Holy Spirit to continue to call you to ministry.

“I will call you to minister to places where you are needed and you will rise to the occasion and bring your gifts and talents to those places for the building up of the kingdom of God. But with this charity idea you have a place to allow the Spirit of God to continue to call you behind the parish structure to the good of the whole church.”

“You will carry out the mission of Christ in ways that the Spirit guides you,” he added. “It’s a way God continues to call forth from you, your gifts and talents. 

“All will flow from your gifts and talents. When that is alive, your ministry will be alive and it will show itself in way you can reach out to help those in need.”

Bishop Duca said that same dynamic should be embedded in the lives of all Christians. He said the Holy Spirit should be working in the lives of all in a dynamic way so that when someone sees something that needs help, “we think to ourselves ‘Why did God direct me to see that? Was that the Spirit of God trying to invite me to a different level of service or love? 

“Is he asking me to overcome something in my life so I can be free to love and care more deeply carefully, fully?’ ”

He urged the deacons to allow the Holy Spirit to move in their lives. He said his own heart is filled with hope, filled with enthusiasm, full of the Spirit of God.

“I hope you have that same spirit,” he said. “I pray it will deepen all aspects of your life.”

The six  deacons were the second class to be ordained completing the diaconate formation program offered by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady of University. The FranU formation program was initially launched six years ago, replacing the old Religious Studies Institute that was offered through the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

The deacons earned certificates in Catholic Theology and Catechesis from FranU.