MICHAEL BRAUN, 62, a retired mechanical designer and member of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Maplewood, sees a need for the Church to be more apostolic, more missionary. And he hopes his ministry as a deacon will help meet that need. “I hope that I can witness my love for Jesus and his Church and encourage others to enter more deeply into prayer in order to have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus,” he said. “We need to live radically different lives than the rest of the world. This type of radical lifestyle is what attracted people to the Gospel in the early Church. People saw the faith, love and life of the early Christians and wanted to be part of that same lifestyle.” Learning about God and falling more in love with him and his Church was one of the most rewarding aspects of his formation, Braun said. And he encouraged those who might consider a call to the diaconate to take that to prayer, especially with time before the Eucharist. “Spend time in silence listening for God in your heart,” he said. “The fruit of this prayer should be charity in your life, your family and for your neighbors that manifests itself in service.” Braun said he has long responded to God’s call to service, including participation for nearly 40 years in the Knights of Columbus. “Prayer and the sacraments were very important to me and my family, and so discerning a call to the diaconate was a good fit,” he said. Serving at the altar and proclaiming the Gospel are two aspects of his service as a deacon he most looks forward to, Braun said. “I look forward to serving the people of God, listening to them and praying with them,” he said. “Listening to God’s voice in my heart provided the quiet, gentle assurance that the diaconate was my calling.” Braun credits the support of his wife, Debbie, and adult daughters, Katherine and Elizabeth, in his pursuing the diaconate. “My entire family has been very supportive through my formation,” he said. His wife attended all his classes with him, except those related to training for the liturgy. She also took care of details at home as he studied, participated in retreats or attended some of the classes by himself. “I expect she will continue to play a supportive role in my ministry as I go forward,” Braun said.