It has been a year since I was ordained a deacon. As I prepare to be ordained a priest, I have been thinking and reflecting a lot on my ministry, and on how blessed I am to have served two wonderful communities: Saint Joseph Parish in Somers Point, N.J., and Saint Gregory the Great Parish in Harrison, N.Y. In both communities, I realized that the people of God make a parish beautiful.
For me, it was the people of God who made my experience as a deacon this past year fruitful. As a deacon, you become part of people’s lives because you help the priest fulfill his ministry by helping him bring Christ to others, especially sacramentally. As a deacon, you also become the vessel by which people become members of the Church by baptism, which has been a wonderful experience for me.
Another important aspect that I learned as a deacon is that I am not the reason why people come to church. They come to see Christ! This allowed me to grow in humility because Christ uses me to speak to His people. Whether it be through preaching, teaching, ministerial work, etc., Christ uses me and the gifts that I have to bring about His glory, despite my sinfulness. This made me discover more that even though I am preparing to be a shepherd, I am preparing to do it in the name of the true shepherd, Jesus Christ, who leads and governs His Church.
Serving the people of God and witnessing their kindness, generosity and love for Jesus has given me hope that despite the brokenness and division in this world, Christ is truly present and always offers Himself to us. Even though it seems religion is being labeled as “outdated,” the people of God are hungry for the Truth, and that has given me hope that my ministry is needed more than ever. That is why God has called me to this vocation.
As a deacon, I have had a wonderful experience of getting a taste of what priestly ministry is all about. My ministry as a deacon has affirmed my priestly vocation, and it has made me excited for what God has to offer in my ministry as a priest. May Mary, the Mother of all Priests, watch over the priests of the Diocese of Camden so that they can continue to serve the people of God entrusted to their care with love and zeal for the Truth.
Deacon Timothy Mulranen, who attends Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, N.Y., is set to be ordained to the priesthood on May 17 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Mary, Mother of Mercy Parish, Glassboro.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
