Seventy-one deacons and their wives met on September 27 at St. Peter the Apostle Church for the annual deacon assembly, an event attended by more than 300 participants. The gathering began with Mass, during which the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders was celebrated for 13 aspirants from 11 parishes within the archdiocese.

During the ceremony, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre addressed the aspirants about the significance of their calling. “Ordination to the permanent diaconate, as well as to the priesthood and the episcopacy, is not something any of us deserves. It is not something any of us can claim a right to receive. Holy orders is a gift from God. It is recognized and conferred by the Church. And it is accepted by the men who are called,” he said.

Archbishop Fabre emphasized humility as essential in accepting holy orders: “The gift of holy orders is to be ‘humbly received,’ and humility ought to be a ‘key virtue’ in every cleric.” He encouraged candidates preparing for ordination to “constantly acknowledge your own need for God, your own unworthiness regarding ordination.”

After Mass, participants took part in fellowship and formation activities, starting with a presentation on physical wellness led by Deacon Charles “Chuck” Bent from St. Margaret Mary Church. Deacon Bent, who also works as a nutritional counselor at Baptist Health’s Milestone Wellness Center, shared his personal experience overcoming health challenges through weight loss.

He recounted how lifestyle changes over recent decades have contributed to increased rates of obesity and related health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Deacon Bent described his own struggle with weight management when he began ministry formation: “I knew that if I was called to serve, I needed to be healthy. I couldn’t be a walking heart attack, which I felt I was,” he said. He detailed reaching a turning point in October 2007 when he could not walk up stairs or complete a mile-long walk, prompting him to seek help and ultimately lose 80 pounds that year.

Deacon Bent stressed that maintaining physical wellness is crucial for effective ministry: “How can we be effective ministers when we’re too busy nursing our own injuries? We can’t.”

Deacon John Strain, serving at both Church of the Annunciation in Shelbyville and St. John Chrysostom in Eminence, commented on the importance of prioritizing health among clergy: “It’s a really good reminder that we are responsible not only for being a steward to others, but also being a steward to ourselves. And it was a very humble reminder that we are responsible for our health so that we can continue to serve our communities,” he said.

Deacon Strain also noted that gatherings like this assembly help maintain community among deacons: “Having a day dedicated to gather together as a deacon community strengthens not only our bond as a community, but our fire to serve others,” he said.

The assembly included further presentations on pastoral planning and updates on diaconate ministry within the archdiocese before concluding with dinner honoring deacons celebrating significant jubilees.