Deacon Glenn Hymel

Deacon Glenn Hymel first heard the calling to a vocation in ministry some 25 years ago, when he, his wife Carol Ann and their six children were parishioners at St. Lawrence Church in Fairhope, Alabama, in the Archdiocese of Mobile, for 13 years. 

But work and family responsibilities took precedence at the time, until the Hymel family returned to their Louisiana roots in Vacherie.

“I was happy serving behind the scenes and continued when we returned to Louisiana,” said Deacon Hymel. “I began to feel the call again around 2014, at a time when (the Diocese of Baton Rouge) was working to rebuild the formation program.  The discernment process led me to enter the Class of 2021 in 2015.”

The timing was just right for Deacon Hymel. He had retired from OxyChem as a corporate technology steward in 2014 and occasionally works as a consultant. He and his wife are parishioners at St. Philip Church in Vacherie and Carol Ann is the administrative assistant to Father Matthew McCaughey, pastor of the West St. James Cluster of St. James Church in St. James, St. Philip and Our Lady of Peace Church, also in Vacherie. 

The couple has 21 grandchildren.

“I love the way Jesus set up his church to be with all of his people sacramentally through the ages,” said Deacon Hymel. “Carol Ann and I have involved our family in the church pretty consistently and have continuously increased our commitment through the years. 

“After retirement, I was able to participate more consistently and reliably and was enjoying serving behind the scenes as needed, doing sacristan, acolyte, funeral coordination and prep, minor maintenance and whatever else needed done.” 

Deacon Hymel said he was a bit apprehensive about returning to college studies after 33 years but enjoyed the experience.

“I continue to work away from a rigorous, analytical, engineering thinking style to a more reflective, patient and less critical thought process,” he said. “I have a long way to go yet.”

Deacon Hymel said the past year has been a great experience in preparing he and his fellow newly ordained deacons for a life serving God and others. 

“I am very much at peace that we are ready to serve with open hearts,” he said. “The academic and spiritual preparations have dovetailed beautifully with the pastoral and hands-on practice. I appreciate the year of internship with Father Matthew (McCaughey) and Deacon Ricky Oubre, and the support of so many priests, deacons and parishioners is humbling. 

“The constant support of Carol Ann and our families makes this all feel like I am on the course God wants of me.”