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Eight deacons mark 30-year ordination anniversaries; one marks 35 years
By John Gleason
The annual Deacon Day Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Aug. 9 at St. Joan of Arc Church in Arvada. It served as the diaconal community’s farewell to Archbishop Chaput as he will leave Denver to be installed as archbishop of Philadelphia next month. During the liturgy, all deacons present renewed their vows after which a dinner was held in the parish hall.
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Photo by James Baca/DCR |
There, deacons were recognized for their years of ministry in five-year increments. This year, one deacon is celebrating 35 years and nine deacons are marking 30 years as ordained ministers. Profiles of the men follow. Photos weren’t available for some deacons.
35 years
Deacon Nathan Coursey
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Reflecting on 35 years of ministry for the Archdiocese of Denver, Deacon Nathan Coursey began by saying, “If it weren’t for the grace of God, I wouldn’t have done it—I couldn’t have done it.”
A native of Dallas, Deacon Coursey, 73, and his wife Janis have four children and six grandchildren. He worked in information technology for the city and county of Denver for 35 years until he retired in 2005. Also retired from active ministry, he was in the Denver Archdiocese’s third diaconate class, which was ordained in 1976.
“It’s fair to say when we were ordained, deacons were still trying to find their way,” he told the Denver Catholic Register. “It was difficult at times, but support we received from clergy and the people at home helped in that journey.”
Following a brief stint at St. James Parish in Denver, Deacon Coursey was transferred to Blessed Sacrament where he spent the majority of his ministry. He also served at Mother of God Parish in Denver and was appointed deacon to Contemplative Outreach. Parish work kept him on the go, baptizing babies and presiding at weddings but much of his time in church was spent preaching, a ministry he very much enjoyed. He gave special thanks to Msgr. Leo Horrigan for the opportunity.
“He was a big part of this spiritual journey of mine, “Deacon Coursey said. “He ran the diaconate program at that time; he was who I talked to before deciding to pursue this course and, once ordained, he encouraged me with my ministry at Blessed Sacrament.”
When it comes to a list of people he’s grateful to for their support, his wife heads the list.
“There’s no way I could have done this without the help of my wife,” he said. “That’s what made this work.”
Even in retirement, Deacon Coursey helps out when needed. And he keeps busy with other activities such as teaching martial arts in Denver. He said the rule (so far) is that there be no student older than himself.
“I tell the younger students I’m so old I have a three-digit social security number,” he said with a chuckle. “They don’t always get it.”
30 years
Deacon Leonard Benzel
A Cornhusker by birth, Deacon Leonard Benzel, 79, is originally from Sydney, Neb. He and wife Claire Bell have been married for 53 years and are the parents of eight children and seven grandchildren. A one-time farmer, Deacon Benzel worked as a technician for Sears and Roebuck. He is now retired. Raised in the Lutheran faith, he joined the Catholic Church in 1975. Having once had the desire to be a minister, when he found out about diaconate formation, he signed up.
Ordained for the Archdiocese of Denver, his first assignment was at St. Joseph Parish and later at Blessed John XXIII University Center, both in Fort Collins, where he worked closely with couples in marriage preparation and pre-baptismal classes. Now retired from active ministry, Deacon Benzel said that he still helps out whenever asked.
“Working with people is the best thing there is,” he said. “It’s been a good ride.”
Deacon Howard Frisinger
A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Deacon Howard Frisinger and his wife Amelia are the proud parents of four children. Ordained for the Archdiocese of Denver, Deacon Frisinger spent his ministry working with parishioners at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Fort Collins. Today retired from active ministry, he said that speaking from the pulpit was what gave him the most gratification in his service to the Church.
“I’d say that actually being at Mass with other people; bringing them the Lord through preaching—that was the most fulfilling thing for me,” he said.
Deacon Joel Paulson
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Deacon Joel Paulson, 70, is a native of Gary, Ind., where he made his living as a firefighter. Married to wife Karen for 50 years, the couple has five children and 14 grandchildren. Ordained for the Diocese of Gary, his first assignment was at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Merrillville, Ind., where he worked in marriage ministry. Upon his retirement as a firefighter in 1984 the couple looked for a place with a better climate and eventually chose Denver. Here Deacon Paulson was assigned first to St. Jude Parish in Lakewood and then St. Mary Parish in Littleton where he’s worked extensively with the sick in hospital ministry. Asked about the spiritual journey that took him to formation he said simply that it was God’s work.
“We’re always shown the correct path no matter what we do; it brings peace to know that God is in charge,” he said. With a laugh he added, “Besides, He knows what He’s doing—I don’t.”
Deacon Alfredo Sanchez
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Deacon Alfredo San-chez, 82, hails from Albuquerque, N.M. A veteran, he worked in artillery for the army and when he mustered out he worked in electronics in civil service until he retired seven years ago. He and his wife Maria have been married for 60 years and have one daughter. Deacon Sanchez said that his road to formation began when he got out of the service.
“I became active in the parish,” said. “First as an usher, then lector and (extraordinary) eucharistic minister, eventually my pastor suggested the diaconate.”
Following his ordination for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, he worked at St. Bernadette Parish. Later, when he and his wife relocated to Colorado he was assigned to Annunciation Parish in Denver. Other assignments included Sacred Heart of Jesus in Boulder and St. Therese in Aurora where part of his ministry was outreach to the Hispanic community. He retired from active ministry seven years ago.
“I’ve enjoyed every parish I’ve been assigned,” he said. “This is what God wanted me to do and I’m pleased to help in any way I can.”
Deacon Henry Sandoval
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Denver native Deacon Henry Sandoval, 76, attended Manual High School and was employed as a bakery supervisor at King Soopers for 30 years until he retired in 1992. He and his wife Frances (who died in 2006) have three children and two grandchildren.
The path to formation began one day at Mass when the call went out for catechism teachers. Raising his hand to volunteer his wife asked him just what he thought he knew about teaching religious education. Admitting he knew little was the first step that led him to the diaconate. He was ordained in 1981.
Sacred Heart Parish in Denver was his first assignment. In addition to parish work, Deacon Sandoval has spent time working with the elderly as well as in prison ministry, calling it one of the most fulfilling things he could do.
“I enjoyed the prison ministry, working with the men and women,” he said. “Putting the Gospel into the hands of those in trouble and trying to work their lives out is like no other.”
Today, Deacon Sandoval is assigned to Guardian Angels Parish in Denver where he teaches in the grade school.
Deacon William Sorber
Deacon William Sorber, 79, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and grew up in Camden, N.J. He and his wife Lynne have been married for 55 years and have two children. After being discharged from the Air Force he went to work for American Airlines, working in communications and as a flight dispatch clerk. Later, he became an assistant flight dispatcher for Frontier in Denver and in 1964 he became a landscape architect. Ordained for the Archdiocese of Denver he did parish work at St. Therese Parish in Aurora, Our Lady of the Plains in Byers and Queen of Peace in Aurora. He has served on the personnel board and as diaconal dean for the East Deanery.
Deacon William Ward
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Raised in Seattle, Wash., Deacon William Ward, 72, and wife Pilar are the proud parents of four children and eight grandchildren. His journey to ordination was unplanned, presenting itself as a bulletin board announcement about formation at church. Despite doing a lot of traveling for work, he signed up. Ordained for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, he began his ministry in parish work at St. Vincent de Paul and St. Ambrose Parishes. When he moved to the Diocese of Richmond, the bishop there assigned him to work in the federal prison in Petersburg, Va.
“I’d been working as a civilian employee for the department of defense and switched over to the department of justice,” Deacon Ward said, “and that’s when I became a federal prison chaplain.”
Relocating to Colorado in 1989, Deacon Ward took over as prison chaplain at the Federal Correctional Institute in Englewood. He also worked at St. Mary School, St. Joseph Parish in Golden and with the Kateri Catholic Community in Lakewood. He retired in 1994.
Deacon Ward said it would be difficult to pinpoint a single thing that he liked best about ministry, saying rather that the experience of working with people is a reward unto itself.
“I wanted to make them feel at home in the Church,” he said. “I want them to feel like this is the place they want to be.”
Deacon William Spellman
A native of Clay Center, Kan., Deacon William Spellman, 82, was employed at AMC Cancer Research Center where he worked with federal and state governments on fundraising activities. He and his wife Dolores have three children and seven grandchildren. For him, the road that led to the diaconate wasn’t an involved process at all. It began as a simple conversation with his priest.
“Father Leo Horrigan and I were talking about working in the parish and what I might be interested in doing,” he said. “That was before the diaconate was established. When the opportunity presented itself, I signed up for it.”
Deacon Spellman has spent his ministry working in the mountains of Colorado, being first assigned to St. Mary of the Assumption in Central City. He has worked also at St. Paul in Idaho Springs, Our Lady of Lourdes in Georgetown and was the chaplain for the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office.
“I did it all,” he said. “Baptisms, witnessing weddings, Communion services—for me, the ministry was all about outreach and bringing the Lord to all who needed it.”
Deacon Spellman retired from active ministry in 1999.
Other deacons acknowledged for their years of ministry at the Aug. 9 Deacon Day celebration were:
25 years
Deacon Victor Kimminau, Deacon Charles Sprick and Deacon Walter Sweeney
20 years
Deacon Joe Babish, Deacon Jason Dorwart, Deacon Kenneth Dreiling, Deacon Frank Enderle, Deacon Robert Haigh, Deacon Mark Salvato and Deacon John Thunblom
15 years
Deacon Edward Clements, Deacon Rodger Creel, Deacon Bill Jordan, Deacon Richard Medenwaldt, Deacon Guffie Menogan, Deacon Frederick Torrez and Deacon Jim Wall
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