January 2018
St. Mark’s News Volume 22/Issue 1
From Father Bill: A Deacon Comes Among Us We will have an exciting addition at St. Mark’s this January. Our seminarian, Brian Prall, will return to us from the Diocese of Chicago as a deacon. Brian was ordained during the Christmas break on December 16. For Brian, this is a “transitional” phase, since we anticipate he will be ordained priest next summer after graduation. Accordingly, he will be considered a “transitional deacon.” What is a deacon? Well, it is the first of three orders in our Church, and is the foundational order. When I was ordained deacon, even though I was to be subsequently ordained priest, my Bishop told me that the first ordination, as deacon, would be the one that would change me. He was right. It changed everything. More than just wearing a collar or a stole, it meant an entirely different life in service to the Church. Brian will undertake subtle changes in his role: he will read the Gospel, for instance, and set the Lord’s Table and sometimes administer the paten. But more of substance, he will be in service in a wide variety of roles to the Church, as God guides him forward. Some persons are called to be permanent deacons, as opposed to those like Brian who are “in transition” to the priesthood. This is also an important role in the Church, which was strongly revived by Bishop Wimberly in our Diocese some years ago. Today we have many distinguished permanent deacons serving parishes in Texas and enriching life in worship and in outreach. We recently saw the involvement of Deacon Victoria Mason who guided the discernment process for our own Christine Brunson here In this Issue at St. Mark’s. At Diocesan Council, permanent deacons play a very visible role in the worship and From Fr. Bill ............................... 1 conduct of our diocesan life. Parish Life ................................. 2 Outreach.................................... 3 Music Notes ............................... 4 Day School News ...................... 4 Christian Formation ................... 5 Parishioner Highlights................ 6 Celebrations .............................. 7 ROTA ........................................ 8
Let us welcome Brian as a deacon comes among us! Thanks be to God. - Fr. Bill
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