From tragedy arises a call to the diaconate

While the flood of 2016 wreaked havoc in the lives of Deacon Randall Waguespack and his family, he said it was sincerely one of the best things to happen for the family and for his faith life. In its wake it left him a life-giving call to the permanent diaconate.

Bishop Michael G. Duca ordained Deacon Waguespack to the permanent diaconate Aug. 13 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge.

Deacon Waguespack grew up in Vacherie. Most of his career has been working with people with disabilities. He and his supportive wife, Patricia, have lived in the Albany area for the past 11 ½ years and are members of St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Church in Albany.

Although Deacon Waguespack was involved in his faith in college, even helping with “Awakening” retreats, and was involved in church ministry on and off his entire life, eventually work became a higher priority in his life.

“It wasn’t until my children (Simon and Nicholas) became involved in youth ministry at St. Margaret that I began to be more involved in the church,” said Deacon Waguespack.

He attended the March for Life pilgrimages with the youth and helps with the Mission Krewe, which pairs 14-19-year-old teenagers from the Portland, Oregon area with their peers from St. Margaret for service and faith development opportunities.

But it was the floodwaters of 2016 that took Deacon Waguespack on a turn to a higher plain, spiritually.

“At that time we didn’t have a home to go to,” said Deacon Waguespack. His son’s girlfriend’s family allowed them to live in an apartment on their property and St. Margaret gave them assistance, such as gift cards, dry wall, meals and “a place to go” to be spiritually nourished.

“It was at that time I started reviewing things that were important in life. It brought our family closer together,” said Deacon Waguespack. “It started me thinking about it’s not all about being busy all the time, and I needed to give more to God.”

He reached out to Father Jamin David, pastor of St. Margaret and then director of Diaconate Formation for the Diocese of Baton Rouge to be his spiritual director. Through spiritual direction, Father David encouraged him to discern entering the diaconate program.

While the diaconate formation is a big time commitment, Deacon Waguespack said the rewards far exceed the challenges.

“I’m a completely different person from when I entered the program,” said Deacon Waguespack. “I feel that all the education, the opportunities to serve and the spiritual direction and all of the formation that we do together in the program is just really transformative.”

He added, “I think that it’s given me a desire to continue to learn. It’s also greatly helped to form my prayer time and my time with God because that formation in it, commitment to prayer that we’re asked to do, make for a deeper relationship with God. And deeper love for what the church has to offer and the truth that’s found in our church. It all just comes out as you give of yourself to this program.”

Deacon Waguespack, who is the director of the Office of Life, Peace & Justice for the diocese, said his role as deacon intertwines with his career.

“I really was drawn to the diaconate because it’s meant to be a ministry of service. In discernment in applying for this position with the diocese, it’s really all about how we help to provide pastoral care in our communities and how I can work with churches to have a greater social outreach and pastoral care for the members of their parish and even people outside of their church. It’s a perfect match,” he said. “It’s almost like you can’t separate the ministry from the job.”

Deacon Waguespack is looking forward to his continued journey with St. Margaret as deacon and hopes to use his knowledge and skills from his job to help improve existing ministries and introduce new ones. But he humbly says it is God who has called him and who qualified him for the ministry.

“I am thankful and grateful to be able to be ordained and to serve the church and to serve our diocese. None of us are worthy. But I really feel that God has called me into that,” said Deacon Waguespack.

“I’ve always been most comfortable when I’m working with people one-on-one, ministering to people directly,” he added. “I think hopefully people see my gifts as being compassionate and having a genuine love and desire to help others. 

“I hope that in every interaction that I have people see me as the image of Christ ministering to them and that they really can feel the love of God through me.”