Diaconia Online

Volume XVIII
Number 2
May 1998

Fr. Tom Foley’s Fond Memories

While a patient of Carney Hospital in March 1979, I was "recruited " by Bishop John D’Arcy-who came to visit me as friend and emissary of Cardinal Medeiros-to become the second Director of the Permanent Diaconate.

Stunned at first by the awesome responsibility that lay ahead, I prayed and subsequently said "Yes" and began a most enriching dimension of priestly ministry: to admit, train, and guide candidates for Holy Orders and to oversee those already ordained to the diaconate under the directorship of Fr. William Burckhart. I was not entirely green to the task; I had previously been associated with the Diaconate as a Spiritual Director and Chairperson of the Diaconate Evaluation Committee

Looking back, I remain in admiration of the outstanding men and their wives I was privileged to meet, the faculty and staff members who assisted me, and the wisdom of highly respected Bishops and Priests who guided me. To this day, I thank God for the opportunity to have served the Church and the Archdiocese of Boston in this capacity.

During my tenure as Director, the following contributions stand out in my memory as hopefully enhancing the development of the Diaconate in Boston and beyond.

The introduction of a "novitiate" year prior to theological study to have candidates grounded in basic Christian Spirituality, to allow sufficient time to reflect on the Church’s understanding of Diaconate, and to address the all-important issue of vocational discernment while being guided by a Spiritual Director.

The introduction of a valuable admissions tool called the "SRI Perceiver" which measures the natural gifts a man has against an ideal composite " of who a deacon should be. The underlying principle is "Grace builds on nature". This instrument helped to initially identify "diaconate talent" which, after a four-year formation program, would be graced by the Sacrament of Orders.

The six-month "field experience" in addition to the course in Pastoral Theology to help candidates become familiar with the variety of possible diaconate ministries. The candidate would be assigned by the Ordination to one of these ministries following Ordination

The Publication of a diaconal handbook, "Deacons Entrusted with the Service of Jesus Christ" which had wide circulation throughout the United States and articles in "The Priest" magazine that were intended to be helpful to bishops and priests, as well as deacons and candidates in grasping a fuller understanding of what a vocation to the diaconate entails.

In 1987, I returned to parish ministry with a whole new outlook and vision. Since then, I have carefully noted the contributions of succeeding directors, relished the opportunity to address each new class in the formation program, and taken special care to observe the effective ministry of so many deacons throughout the Archdiocese. Here at St. Mary of the Hills, I am blest to have Deacon John Connor, and I daily observe and admire the diaconal impact and witness of his ministry to the people of Milton.

In extending prayerful best wishes to my brothers in ministry, let me quote the Prayer of Consecration in the Ordination Rite of Deacons.

Let them excel in every virtue:
in sincere love,
in the use of authority with moderation,
in concern for the sick and the poor,
in purity and irreproachable conduct,
and in a deeply spiritual life.

Congratulations to Deacon John Whipple '96

We are happy to announce that John was the recipient of the first Leonard P Zakim Humanitarian Award for furthering interfaith understanding at the 6th Annual North Shore Interfaith Passover Seder in Marblehead on April 6, 1998.

Thank you John for your interest and response in this very important interfaith collaboration.

In Memoriam Please remember our loved ones who have died and those who mourn their lives Matthew Cooper, son-in-law of Deacon George and Dorothy Messinger Eva Correia, grandmother of John Hunt, Jr. ‘98 Juan Homar, father of Catalina Homar Montes ’83 Matthew P. Kane, son of Deacon & Mrs. William F.X. Kane ’90 Deacon Donald E. LePage ’77, husband of Theresa LePage, father of Andrew J., Susanne M., Donald E. Jr., Mary E., Douglas J. George Lopano, father of Betsy Cornell ’92 Mary Savage, mother of Pauline Hoaglund, ‘83

The View from the Pew
A Widow’s Mite

Johanna Chao, Director of Field Education at St. John’s Seminary, was invited to share some reflections with the Seminary Community as they helped her mark the fourth anniversary of her late husband’s death. Johanna willingly shares her thoughts with us, also.

I am grateful for having all of you coming together to help me with this day to remember Francis and mark the fourth anniversary of his death. It was a wintry day almost like today; there was snow on the ground. At almost the exact same hour, family and friends gathered, my beloved husband of almost thirty years who followed Jesus, lived and exemplary life, touched many hearts and souls; fought a good fight of illness in faith, went to the Lord on this feast day of Sts. Timothy and Titus. A sojourner in the strange land returned home.

Although I knew in my head that death was not the last word, finding comfort and meaning in my heart was a tremendous challenge. Until this day, it takes courage for me not to want to hide myself because of my feelings of incompleteness, and not to dwell on how Francis died but seek ways to remember how he lived.

Does time heal? No, time alone does not heal our grief. God and love heal. Healing begins with our willingness to touch the pain, to walk with it, to share it, to accept it and to begin to reconstruct our lives to find purpose, without the one we lost, but with God’s grace and caring others. Throughout my journey of recovery, I have resisted being a helpless widow. In my stubbornness, I do not want to admit that I am dependent. God, and my friends are very patient with me. So I am really humbled to offer this community a widow’s mite this way.

As toward the poor, Scripture gives many references of how God favors the alien, the orphaned, and the widowed. We also are familiar with "Blest are the sorrowing, they shall be consoled." Paul’s pastoral letter to Timothy even offers "rules for widows". It states: "The real widow, left destitute, is one who has set her hope on God and continues night and day in supplications and prayers". How did Paul know such an experience? Not only the community is charged with caring for the widowed-"Do not let them become a burden to the church", the widows are also given a role in the community. They are challenged in many ways. "Her character will be attested to by her good deeds." "Has she been hospitable to strangers?" "Has she been eager to do every possible good work?"

These words from Timothy seem to affirm that widows, alone and bereft, not only possess a woman’s heart, but also a woman’s courage to respond and transform losses into strength. Through companionship and service to others, they can actually expand themselves because of their destitution and dependence. Such is indeed part of my own experience.

In much of my loneliness and solitude, I did not know exactly when, how, why and where, the grace of God appeared. It gave shape to my life and allowed me to be enlightened and motivated enough to create the new self. The human spirit is really amazing; it does "stir into flame the Gift of God". In my effort of relearning who I am, whose I am, to whom I do belong, valuable relationships have become the force that framed and focused my daily living. Yes, there is life and love after widowhood, uncertain yet assured, miraculous yet takes risk and requires effort, utterly human and profoundly sacred.

There are also experiences of what I’d like to call an oceanic or mountainous feeling of joy associated with certain encounters, aesthetics and nature. I have found simple pleasures in the sight of rocks and pebbles, the sound of flowing water, the sunshine, the phases of the moon, flowers, desert, and even the bare branches of winter. Everything around me becomes suddenly vivid and beautiful without me doing anything at all. Sweetly and gently, love is awakened in my soul and I sense a great affinity and proximity to God.

Admittedly, I do have periods of stability and confusion. I realize that freedom and authenticity begin when we acknowledge what is possible and what is not. Our life long yearning for union toward Oneness is not a dream or fantasy but an accumulated reality. It happens every time we bring something new or precious into being. Our oneness in the Eucharist ensures this promise and empowers such possibility.

My friends, once again, I thank you for welcoming a displaced and relocated stranger in your midst. This environment has certainly helped me to adjust to being an unmarried woman. You all have nurtured me for another chance of loving and living. So, what this humble widow can offer today is but her two copper coins: Comfort does come to those who mourn. Let us not miss the miracles that constantly guide us along our way.

Johanna Chao ‘79

Class of 1998 Admitted to Candidacy

The Class of 1998 was admitted to Candidacy on February 28, 1998 at St. George Church in Framingham by Most Rev Emilio S. Allué. Please keep these men and their families in prayer as they prepare for ordination on September 19 (Anglo) and September 26 (Hispanic) 1998 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Left to right. Row 1: J. Manzi, J. Carey, H. Hanson, P. Morel, D. Burns, J. Kerrigan, J. Hunt, T. McMorrow.
Row2: R. Joy, R. Monroe, P. Rodriques, F. Quiles, M. Fonesca, S. Straub, M. Rumley.