DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Over 30 years, Rodney Walker, 59, and his family moved three times, and at each of the parishes he attended, the pastor told him the same thing: “You will make a good deacon someday, but not yet.” Then, in 2014, he finally felt God calling him to apply for diaconate formation.. An IT consultant and parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Hastings, Walker and his wife, Annette, have two adult sons and one grandchild. He is scheduled to be ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Dec. 7 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. The Catholic Spirit asked him via email about his vocation. His answers were edited for clarity.
Q. What inspired you to pursue the diaconate?
A. Over a period of 30 years we moved three times. Annette and I volunteered in various ways at all three parishes. Over time as I grew in the volunteer roles, each pastor said to me, “You will make a good deacon someday, but not yet.” The first time I heard that was 1985 at St. Michael in Prior Lake. Ten years later at our next parish, St. Richards in Richfield, the pastor told me the exact same exact thing. That caught my attention! I took the “but not yet” to heart and reflected on this from time to time over the following decade. The third time I heard this exact same phase was in 2008 from our pastor at our third parish, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Hastings. I continued to reflect on this for several years. Then in 2014 I felt the Lord call me to take the first steps in diaconate formation and I began the application process.
Q. What made you certain this was your call?
A. As formation progressed, my prayers became richer. This led me to listening more attentively to the Holy Spirit’s movements in my life. And with that came a deeper trust in God’s call for me. It is with a servant’s heart that I seek to serve the people of Christ in this way, as an ordained deacon.
Q. What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to?
A. Serving all as Christ did. And in doing so, helping people encounter the living Christ, here and now.
Q. What areas of ministry are you especially interested in?
A. Serving in various ways at the parish I am assigned to, getting to know parishioners, especially young families. In addition, I sense God calling me to prison ministry. During my internship at Washington County Jail, I felt most men I met with had a desire to grow in their relationship with Christ. That is a hard thing to do on their own. Christians are called to community and to support and guide each other. Many of these men came from a very different community where drugs and violence ruled. Helping these men find a better way, the way of Christ, remains in my heart.
Q. What part of your formation has been the most rewarding?
A. Seeing and being part of my brother deacon candidates’ growth as we progress together toward ordination. We each have our unique gifts and have fully opened ourselves to offering our gifts for his purpose. Witnessing this sacrificial love and blossoming has been an amazing and wonderful part of my formation journey.
Q. Who has been a model for your ministry?
A. There are many people who have influenced my ministry. Some were just brief encounters. Many I have not meet in person. But they all share at least one thing in common: The love of Christ radiates from within them, whether that be in their writings, someone writing about them or someone I have met in person. Love makes saints. The Apostle Peter is a model of that saintly love for me. Simon, a hardworking man who made mistakes, remained steadfast in his love for Jesus. Simon’s love was the rock that Jesus built his Church upon.
Q. What do you most hope to offer the Church through this vocation?
A. Service that draws people closer to Christ.
Q. What has been the most challenging part of pursuing this vocation?
A. At first, learning to give up some things in order to create the time needed to attend classes, do the homework, etc. For me that involved selling my beloved boat and giving up some precious family rest and relaxation time on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. As it turned out, once the boat and all the related upkeep was gone, I did not miss it one bit! There are indeed sacrifices involved in this vocation, but sacrifices can become great joys.
Q. What can the Church do to inspire other men to answer the diaconate calling?
A. We have a great gift in our archdiocese: The St. Paul Seminary, the Institute for Diaconate Formation plus several other institutes. All world class formation opportunities. We all can promote prayers for formation and open discussion about what a deacon is and does. None of this should be a mystery. Rather it should be like a great light.
Q. What advice would you give another man discerning the diaconate?
A. In prayer, ask God to open your heart to the possibility. Then follow the little signs that the Holy Spirit presents. Trust, then respond to what God places in your heart.
