Saint Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church, Phoenix, Az
Religion & Spirituality
Faith is truly a gift. Throughout my life I have come to appreciate this gift; it was through my great-grandmother “Nana Bell” where I came to understand the gift of faith that has been passed down from generation to generation. She did not have a degree, did not graduate from high school, she was poor and lived in public housing; however, her wealth came from her reliance on God.
I learned through the example of my great-grandmother that Holy Mass was the most important thing in life and therefore I would walk with her to St. Anthony Catholic Church during the heat of the summer months and the cold of winter. My great-grandmother’s love and devotion to our blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, was an inspiration to me as a young boy. I learned of our Lady’s maternal protection of her son Jesus; something I foster in my own life and try to teach others.
While in high school, I discerned the vocation of Holy Orders and met with the Vocations Director for the University of Notre Dame. After much reflection, I decided to pursue my undergraduate degree at The University of Arizona as a sociology major with an emphasis in pre-medical studies. While at The University of Arizona, I met my future bride, who too had a deep love for the Lord and His church. We continued with our undergraduate studies and later both pursued our advanced degrees; she in psychology and I in medicine.
I began my career as an instructor of clinical OBGYN which I soon left to begin my private practice. It was at about this time when I met Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted who truly served as a spiritual father to me, allowing me to fully embrace, understand, and promote the teachings of Humanae Vitae. It was through the encouragement of priests and deacons where I began to again discern a call to Holy Orders, but this time to the permanent diaconate.
With the support of my wife and children, I began the process of formation. The Holy Spirit has lead me on a journey; opening pathways and doors so that God’s will may be done. I do not know where my journey will end but I say “yes” to the Lord knowing that if I seek to do His will there will be peace and joy in my busy life as a father, husband, physician, and community leader. St. John Paul II says that the greatest gift a permanent deacon can give the Church is the foundation of a strong family, imaging the love of the blessed trinity. “Diakonia” means service, a deacon must first serve his family then the community.
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