August 12, 2009

Six deacons marking ordination anniversaries of 35, 30 years

On Aug. 10 at the John Paul II Center in south Denver, the annual Deacon’s Day Mass was celebrated for the men who serve the Denver Archdiocese in this vocation.  Principle Mass celebrant was Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley was a Mass concelebrant.  Following the liturgy, deacons were honored for their service to the Church at a dinner. This year two deacons are marking 35-year anniversaries, four are marking 30 years, nine are celebrating 25 years, seven are celebrating 20 years; eight are marking 15 years; 13 are celebrating 10 years and 13 are celebrating five years.

35 years

Deacon Ronald Ansay, retired
Originally from Milwaukee, Wis.,  Deacon Ronald Ansay was in the furniture business in Wheat Ridge, Colo., for two decades before entering into real estate 24 years ago.  Still acting as an agent for the Kentwood Company, he said he likes to keep busy.  He and Dolly, his wife of 54 years, are the proud parents of seven children, 31 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren with number nine due to arrive in September.  A member of the first diaconate class in the Archdiocese of Denver, Deacon Ansay served at the parishes of St. Catherine of Siena, Holy Family, Risen Christ, St. Mary’s in Aspen and St. Thomas More in Centennial.  His duties included ministering to the less fortunate and taking Communion to those who could not attend Mass.  He said he found himself in formation to minister to the needs of the poor and credits his wife for supporting him in his ministry.

“I feel like I should stretch my arms out in gratitude, thanking God for my time in the ministry,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to elevate the consciousness of Christ in the minds of people who hear his word and pass it on to someone else.”

Deacon Ernest Anderson, retired
It was the prospect of work that brought Ernest Anderson to Colorado from his native Oklahoma in 1960.  Now retired, he worked as a scientist/engineer for Martin Marietta in Littleton.  A widower, Anderson and his wife Betty parented eight children.  He said working with young people was one of the main reasons he found himself in formation. 

 “I enjoyed working with the youth,” he said.  “They keep you young and you never know what you can learn from them.”

Assigned to Columbine Catholic Church, today known as St. Frances Cabrini, Deacon Anderson not only worked with the young, but served in prison ministry as well.  He said at the beginning of his ministry he felt like he had to come up with his own job description.

“The men who came out of those first classes had some challenges,” he said.  “It was all new and often neither the parish nor the deacon himself knew exactly what he was to do.”

Deacon Anderson said there was a long learning period for all parties, but he wouldn’t have traded the experience.  Now retired from the diaconate, he spends his time with family.

30 years

Deacon Thomas Quinlan, retired
Raised in Little Falls, N.J., Thomas Quinlan retired as a captain from the Air Force. An author, HAM radio operator and maker of fine wine (some of which was used by Pope John Paul II during World Youth Day 1993 in Denver), he and his wife Glenys have two sons.  He is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, having earned a degree in special education/elementary education.  It was while he was stationed in Abilene, Texas, that he heard his call to the diaconate and was ordained from the Diocese of San Angelo in 1979.  Shortly thereafter, he retired and moved his family to Denver.  His first posting was as pastoral assistant at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Other assignments included the churches of Good Shepherd, St. Jude and Christ the King in Evergreen, working in marriage preparation, benedictions, annulments and presiding at interments.  Deacon Quinlan said that working with young people in marriage preparation, watching them make the transition from single to married life, was very fulfilling.

“It’s been a great honor for me to be of service to the Church, in all parts of my ministry,” he said.

Deacon Ronald Darschewski, St. Louis Church, Louisville
Deacon Ronald Darschewski and his wife Nancy have 10 children.  Six years ago, with most of them living in Colorado, the couple decided it was time to come West.  Now retired, he worked for 30 years in the printing industry.  Ordained in the Diocese of Joliet, Ill., Deacon Darschewski has spent the majority of his ministry working as director of religious education, both in Illinois and at his new parish, St. Louis in Louisville.  He says that guiding people to establish a greater and better relationship with God is one of the best rewards of his 30-year ministry.

“I always tell people that I felt the call to offer myself in greater service to the Church through religious education,” he said.  “Another thing I say is that I’ve been able to make my avocation become my vocation.  You might say that my hobby is giving my time to the Lord.”

Deacon Norman Beabout, St. Elizabeth, Buffalo Creek
Ordained in the Diocese of Joliet, Ill., Deacon Norman Beabout made his home in New Lennox until he and his wife Eleanor moved to Colorado in 1990.  The couple has seven children and 13 grandchildren.  He was a chief industrial engineer for a railroad that was part of U.S. Steel until he retired.  A convert to Catholicism in 1964, Deacon Beabout and his wife were active in Marriage Encounters at their parish.  When the diocese opened up the diaconate, he saw it as an opportunity to continue his work in ministry.

For the first decade after ordination, Deacon Beabout worked in marriage and baptismal preparation and delivering homilies at St. Mary Church in Mokena, Ill.  But when he relocated to Colorado he wanted to try something different.  With some classes in clinical pastoral education under his belt, he went to work in hospital ministry at St. Anthony’s Hospital and served as chaplain at the Gardens of St. Elizabeth while at the same time he was assigned to Christ the King Church in Evergreen.  Now assigned to St. Elizabeth Church in Buffalo Creek, he said he and his wife couldn’t be happier. 

The simple act of helping people has been the greatest reward of his ministry.

“I get a great deal of satisfaction when I have the chance to deal with people on a one-on-one basis,” he said.  “I believe we tend to find the God we seek in the people that we’re trying to bring him to.”

Deacon Richard Grimler, retired
A native of Peoria, Ill., Deacon Richard Grimler and wife Judith have four daughters and nine grandchildren.  An accountant, Deacon Grimler spent much of his career doing auditing work before retiring.  In Colorado for the last decade, he was ordained in the Diocese of Joliet, Ill., and spent his early ministry visiting the sick and taking Communion to those who could not attend Mass.  After moving to Colorado he enjoyed delivering homilies and working with young people in marriage preparation.  He served for six years at St. Joseph in Fort Collins working in parish administration until he retired in 2006.  He said that one of the most fulfilling aspects of his ministry was making the diaconate more accessible and understandable.

“I was a member of the second diaconate class in my diocese,” he said. “At first there was some confusion in the parish about who we were and what we were supposed to do.”

Deacon Grimler said that helping people to understand what deacons do has been a rewarding experience and he was happy he did it.