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Friday, March 29, 2024

Almost-Deacon Bauch says diaconate isn’t ‘another job,’ but being person God made him to be

Lisa Anne and John Bauch DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

John Bauch, 60, admired the deacons serving in his parish, and a priest helped him understand the nature of such a calling: It isn’t another job, but becoming the person God created him to be. A parishioner of St. Bonaventure in Bloomington and project manager in information technology, he said diaconate formation has helped strengthen the bond between him and his wife, Lisa Anne, and deepened and enriched his prayer life. He is scheduled to be ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Dec. 7 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. The Catholic Spirit asked him via email about his vocation. His answers were edited for clarity.

Q. What inspired you to pursue the diaconate?

A. Watching the deacons in my home parish and Father Richard Kaley, OFM Conv., who helped me understand that listening for, and following God’s call isn’t taking on another job, but rather becoming the person who God created me to be.

Q. What made you certain this was your call?

A. The time spent in formation, especially on retreats, gave me a greater sense of God’s call and the increasing sense of peace that I’ve experienced over the years in formation.

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Q. What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to?

A. Proclaiming the Gospel and administering the sacraments.

Q. What areas of ministry are you especially interested in?

 A. I’m very interested in all aspects of liturgy. Two summers ago, I had an internship as a chaplain at a jail. I found that listening to their stories and praying with them to be very rewarding and I hope to continue that work once I’m ordained.

Q. Where do you see the greatest needs in the local Church?

A. Addressing homelessness for people of all ages. Without a safe, clean place to live, it is nearly impossible to raise a family, pursue education, get a job, or get the assistance (physical, mental, spiritual) needed to heal wounds and resume a life with dignity.

Q. What part of your formation has been the most rewarding?

A. The increase in depth and richness of my prayer life, and the strengthening of my marriage with my bride.

Q. Who has been a model for your ministry?

A. We are assigned deacon deans once we are in formation. They have been powerful examples and witnesses of what it means to serve God’s Church, and how to integrate family, work, and service into my life.

Q. What do you most hope to offer the Church through this vocation?

A. God had abundantly blessed us through his Church, and we are merely offering back the gifts which we have received.

Q. What has been the most challenging part of pursuing this vocation?

A. It is a large time commitment, and it takes a while to learn how to integrate it into your life along with all of the other commitments that you have.

Q. What can the Church do to inspire other men to answer the diaconate calling?

A. Periodically keep offering the deacon information sessions. They give couples a good sense of what the diaconate is about and provides a forum to have their questions answered.

Q. What advice would you give another man discerning the diaconate?

A. Go to one of the deacon information sessions, talk to a deacon, and spend some time in adoration and see what God might be saying to you.

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