Ahead of their ordination to the Diaconate in St John’s Cathedral on Saturday 27^th July, Deacon in training Stephen Patterson reflects on the five-year journey he and fellow deacon in training Zac Parambi have been on to become permanent Deacons.

Stephen remarks: “How, you may ask, have an accountant now pharmacy assistant and an historian and former IT Manager ended up being ordained to the permanent diaconate? We both embarked on the journey ordination through an unexpected question – ‘had we ever considered the diaconate’? For both of us it ignited a glowing ember, the answer was a resounding ‘yes’ but it needed that prompt to do something about it and explore further.  Being open to the Holy Spirit, and accepting the challenge gave us the opportunity to discover if we were indeed called. For more than five years we have been involved in a transformative experience; a deepening of our spiritual lives together with a growing understanding and awareness of the deacon’s commitment to service.

From the initial call to start walking along the path, we have been filled with a sense of purpose and an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God and our communities. The formation process at St Mary’s College Oscott in Birmingham – with 40 monthly sessions over 4 years after an initial year of discernment (the Propaedeutic year) – saw us experience wide-ranging and rigorous training which covered many facets of the faith: theology, church history, prayer, spirituality, ethics, and morality. It was also an opportunity for spiritual development and increased pastoral awareness; each session being a balance of prayer; the Divine Office and Mass, with academic and practical training. Not only have we grown in our knowledge of many aspects of the church, but the experience has also confirmed our dedication to seek to embody Christ’s love and compassion in our daily lives.

As the day of ordination approaches, our emotions are a collection of gratitude, humility, and both nervous and eager anticipation. We are so grateful for the unwavering support of our families, especially our wives, mentors, and fellow aspirants: their encouragement has been a great source of strength.

There is a profound humility in knowing the responsibilities that lie ahead, we look forward to the joy and challenges of diaconal ministry. We are deeply aware of the trust placed in us to serve; to bring the light of Christ to those in need. This is something we cannot achieve without the grace of God and the support of those, like us, with their joys and sorrows, who we will travel alongside in faith, hope, and love.”