Diaconal Formation started in January of 2014 and ended the morning of March 30, 2019 when 29 of us were ordained as Permanent Deacons by Bishop Joe Vasquez in the Diocese of Austin. However, 31 of us were ordained in total. Deacon Daniel Guerra was ordained at our annual couples retreat, at Cedarbrake in August of 2018. He died less than two weeks later on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Deacon Guy Helou was ordained as a deacon in the Maronite Rite on January 13, 2019. Since our ordination, we said good-by to Deacon Noel Caballero, who passed away in 2023. (Also, I think Deacon Don Moore is not longer in the Diocese of Austin after he retired from his secular job.)
Diaconal Formation was a special time for me and my wife because we grew together in our faith as a couple. We prayed together as a couple. And God healed us after our miscarriage and walked with us as we faced other challenges. I will not lie, there were times during Formation when I would think to myself: "I must be out of my mind" (read more about it here: https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/dearest-goddaughter-ltr-39.html). However, God never stopped calling me to Himself. He made straight my path to Him and either removed obstacles along the way or allowed the obstacles to persist so that I can grow in my relationship with Him and learn to trust Him even more. The last two years of Formation was a struggle and, as we got closer and closer to Ordination, Satan was shooting arrows at me to derail me from the path that God had me one. However, by the grace of God through prayer and with the support of my family and friends, especially my wife, I was ordained as a deacon.
As I laid prostrate on the floor of St. William (in Round Rock), during the Litany of Supplication while the choir led the congregation in the Litany of the Saints, I wept. When we were able to rise up from the floor, I heard a voice say to me, "Let's get to work." I died to self and rose as a servant of the Suffering Servant born of a Lowly Servant. The Scripture passage that I discerned for my ordination prayer card is Mary's Magnificat (Luke:1:46-48): "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant."
UPDATE: Here is the link to my "My First-ever Homily as a Deacon!" https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/my-first-ever-homily-as-deacon.html
My Vocation Story (Part 1) - St. Brendan https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-vocation-story-part-1-st-brendan.html
My Vocation Story (Part 2) - Call to Conversion https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-vocation-story-part-2-call-to.html
My Vocation Story (Part 3) - Growing in Faith https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-vocation-story-part-3-growing-in.html
My Vocation Story (Part 4) - Call to the Diaconate https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-vocation-story-part-4-call-to.html
My Vocation Story (Part 5) - Servant of the Suffering Servant born of a Lowly Servant https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-vocation-story-part-5-servant-of.html
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