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Deacon Dan and Sandy Pickett: Bringing the True Servant’s Heart of Jesus to Our Parish
Whether serving in front of the congregation at Mass or sharing their time and talents to do God’s work behind the scenes, Deacon Dan Pickett and his wife, Sandy, exemplify what living the stewardship way of life is truly all about.
“I believe that the essence of who I am as a deacon is to bring the true servant’s heart of Jesus to others through my ministry,” Deacon Dan says. “I love to bring Christ to others through teaching and helping others in their faith journey.”
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Originally from New York City, Dan moved to Bartlesville, his mother’s hometown, at the end of high school. He met his future bride, Sandy, before leaving to attend college at Notre Dame in Indiana, and after four “long-distance” years together, they were married in 1975. The Picketts then spent the next 15 years at St. John Before the Latin Gate, until Dan’s career with Phillips Petroleum — and then ConocoPhillips — brought them to Tulsa and then Houston.
But in 2006, he was transferred back to Bartlesville and the couple came “home” to St. John’s. Soon after, a call to the permanent diaconate — a call that had been growing for several years — came to fruition, and Dan began formation in 2007. He was ordained to the diaconate seven years later, on he and Sandy’s wedding anniversary in 2014.
“I always thought he had a love and reverence for God and a true servant’s heart,” says Sandy, who was praying for his vocation to the diaconate for over 10 years.
Since his ordination, Deacon Dan has served in several different ways, from being part of the diocesan tribunal that handles annulments, serving at Mass and funeral liturgies, to teaching the faith to those becoming Catholic through the RCIA process. To his surprise, Deacon Dan has also used his professional background in business and finance to serve the parish.
“I love to apply my secular skills in finance and accounting to the ‘business’ of running the church and the school and to enable, in a financial way, all the ministries of our parish and, in particular, the ministry of our school,” Deacon Dan says. “I’d like to tell people that their stewardship dollars are managed and accounted for in a transparent and effective way that brings Christ to all we reach out to in our community and beyond.”
Sandy has also served the parish in several different ways over the years — in particular, using her charism of intercessory prayer to bless the community through the Divine Mercy Ministry, as well as praying as a consecrated spiritual mother for priests, since 2009. She has also facilitated Bible studies, helping parishioners grow in their knowledge of the faith.
And despite the many ways they serve individually, the Picketts — who have three adult sons and soon-to-be nine grandchildren — also pray Liturgy of the Hours and often attend daily Mass together.
“I think our call to our own chosen ministries, and my call to be a deacon, are enhanced by our Sacrament of Marriage,” Deacon Dan says.
Deacon Dan encourages other men to be open to God’s call to serve the parish and Church as an ordained deacon.
“If a man has on his heart a call to serve the people in some way, don’t brush that thought or feeling aside, but explore it and to ask a deacon what the deacon’s life is about,” Deacon Dan says. “If you think you have a call, try to discern it.
“I do it for the Lord and the joy that comes from seeing people grow in their faith and get more involved,” he adds. “It is very satisfying.”
