Seven new permanent deacons were no lone rangers

In reality, there are no lone rangers when it comes to explaining the mystery of a vocation to serve the church in ordained ministry or in religious life, Archbishop Gregory Aymond told the seven men he ordained June 14 to the permanent diaconate for the Archdiocese of New Orleans at St. Louis Cathedral.

As if he were reading the minds of the ordinands, the archbishop said it probably was something like: “I can assure you, I could not have done this alone.”

The seven new deacons – Deacons Craig C. Comeaux, David M. Kalil, Jermaine M. Labat, Stephen J. Maheu, Scott P. Reason, Barry E. Rodriguez and Edward F. Rudiger Jr. – were seated in front of him as he delivered his homily from the cathedral’s elevated ambo.

“It takes great humility today to say those words, for each and every one of us, as we are faced with some challenge,” Archbishop Aymond said. “When it’s over, we say, ‘I assure you, I could not have done this alone.’ No matter how many gifts we have, no matter what we can do alone, we know we need others. 

“May I suggest … that these seven men, in a spirit of humility, say that this morning. In preparing for the diaconate and hearing the call of God, they needed others.”

Archbishop Aymond thanked the new deacons for hearing God's call and also praised their wives, who were at their side in every aspect of their five-year formation.

“You have given your support, your consent, for them to answer God's call, and certainly as wives you have made sacrifices in order for this day to be possible for them to receive formally the call of God,” the archbishop said.

The new deacons officially began their parish ministry on June 14. Deacon Comeaux is assigned to St. Jerome in Kenner; Deacon Kalil to St. Joseph Church and Shrine in Gretna; Deacon Labat to Sacred Heart in Lacombe; Deacon Maheu to St. Catherine of Siena in Metairie; Deacon Reason to St. Martha in Harvey; Deacon Rodriguez to St. Dominic in New Orleans; and Deacon Rudiger to St. Peter in Covington.

The archbishop said it was very interesting to him that 2,000 years ago, when the first deacons were ordained by the apostles to provide service to the newly formed Christian community, they chose seven men to provide that service.

“After his resurrection, Jesus sent the apostles to lead and to serve the community, and very quickly, they became overwhelmed in meeting the needs of the people,” Archbishop Aymond said. “They felt that they were neglecting the everyday needs of people as they were trying to devote themselves to preaching and to prayer.

“In prayer, they chose seven men who were respected by the community, men of good repute, capable of leading others in the ways of the Lord. They then prayed over them and called down the gift of the Spirit, laid hands on them, and then they set them forth to be deacons of the church, co-workers with the apostles.”

 Deacon Rudiger said he was thankful everyone who had a hand in his formation, particularly Deacon Ray Duplechain, head of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate.

“I’m just feeling thankful and blessed,” Deacon Rudiger said. “The seeds (of my vocation) were planted many years ago and finally came to fruition.I'm just thankful to the Lord for his blessings.I hope to serve God's people where they are at St. Peter Parish. I’m looking forward to serving at the altar, serving in the parish and serving wherever God needs me.”

Deacon Rodriguez noted a feeling of being unworthiness at God’s call.

“I’m just full of humility about the wonderful people who have joined us here today to celebrate this with us,” Deacon Rogriguez said. “It's really a blessing in my life. (I hope) to serve God's people. We take on the servant heart of Jesus, and, in doing so, I am going to be ready and radically available to help God's people in my parish and in this city and wherever God leads me.”

Deacon Kalil, who graduated from St. John Prep in 1974 along with fellow Deacon Chuck LeBlanc, acknowledged it was a long road to ordained ministry.

“I couldn't have done it without my wife (Susan). I'm just looking forward to serving my parish and the people of God.”

Deacon Reason said his emotions were “all over the place.”

“I'm elated, I am filled with joy and just incredible gratitude, humility at being called to serve,” Deacon Reason said. “I only pray for God's wisdom and grace to be able to serve him well. I am just completely filled with joy.”

Deacon Reason said his long journey to the altar began with his baptism and with “my parents raising me in the faith, and living life and hearing God speak to me in various ways, from elementary school to my Salesian formation in high school (at Archbishop Shaw).

“There were moments throughout my life where people have said, ‘Have you ever considered being a deacon?’ And I kept saying, ‘Yes, I'm thinking about that.’ Twenty to 30 years later, I stopped thinking about it and said ‘yes’ – and after five years of formation, here we are. I hope to be what we have been formed to be – an icon of Christ the servant to the people of God.”

Deacon Labat said he was trying to control his emotions.

“I’m just emotional, blessed, thankful, grateful to God, and just full of just gratefulness,” Deacon Labat said. “I don't deserve the blessing. (I just want to) be an icon of service to the people in my community.”

Deacon Comeaux said he was overwhelmed with gratitude.

“Gratefulness for the people around us, gratefulness for God in terms of the graces he's bestowed on us and gratefulness of the people of God who we'll be able to minister to in a different way, in a different ministry and a different vocation,” Deacon Comeaux said. “I come from St. Jerome Parish, which is a multicultural community, and I hope to continue to build on the multicultural nature of our community because that's the church we are becoming.”

Deacon Maheu said he was thankful that God continued to call him to the diaconate.

"I am grateful for God’s persistence in calling to me," he said. "I have as a foundation an overwhelming calling to serve. I am thankful for my calling and a vehicle in which to serve God's people to the end of my days."

[email protected]