Name: Christopher (Chris) Richards
Age: 40
Spouse: Sarah
Home parish: St. Joseph in Waconia
Residence: Waconia
Profession: Engineer at Federal Aviation Administration
Children: Ethan (14)
Birthplace: Moorhead
Q) What inspired you to pursue the diaconate?
A) Leading a retreat program at my parish, I recognized my passion for growing deeper in my faith and accompanying others on their own faith journey. During this time, I began noticing that God was placing a desire to continue this trajectory through the diaconate. Over the next couple of months, the call just kept coming up and I decided that I needed to say “yes” to whatever the Lord was asking.
Q) What made you certain this was your call?
A) Discernment is a continual process. When I first felt I might be called to the diaconate, I was hesitant and didn’t think it fit into my own plans. At the same time, I wanted to follow God’s will wherever he led. After discussing this with my wife, we agreed to take the first step and attend a discernment day at the seminary. Both of us shared a sense of peace and inspiration when listening to the deacons who spoke that day. We agreed to take the next step and formally apply for diaconate formation. Every stage has been marked by continual prayer and discernment, and at every step I have found a renewed sense of confidence that this is God’s will. I don’t know that there was a specific moment when everything changed, but every step of the process seemed right, and it was so exciting to get the formal Call to Orders from the archbishop confirming that the Church agrees that this call is God’s will.
Q) What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to?
A) From the point where I first started pursuing the diaconate, I have intentionally tried not to focus on my desires, but on recognizing God’s desire for me and conforming my will to his. When I look back at the course of my life, I notice that I am happier, more content and more fulfilled when I follow God rather than chasing my own happiness. Within the diaconate, I am excited to see how God wants to use me, how I can witness to what he is doing in the world and how this will change with time.
Q) What areas of ministry are you especially interested in?
A) We have had the opportunity to serve in a range of ministries throughout formation. More than anything, I have found that walking with others and helping them to encounter Christ in a meaningful way is the most satisfying part of any ministry. Whether this is through OCIA, teaching and leading parish small groups, or being a source of compassion when someone is suffering, God is present everywhere. Seeing others learn about God and then actually meet him in a way that transforms their life is so rewarding.
Q) What role will your family play in your new ministry?
A) My wife and I have discussed this quite a few times, and we don’t know what this will look like. With a son in high school, there are a lot of activities and family responsibilities, and my first vocation is as a husband and father. Just like with formation, the integration of family life and diaconal ministry will be a continual exercise in discerning God’s will. Whenever I am with my family, I will be a deacon. Whenever I am serving in ministry, I will do so as a husband and father. These vocations aren’t competitive, they are a cohesive whole in the life that God has designed for our family.
Q) Where do you see the greatest needs in the local Church?
A) There is such a richness and depth to the Catholic faith, but it can be so easy to miss it. With all the competing priorities in life, so many people both inside and outside the Church see religion as just one more thing to do. It is perceived as a hobby or interest that only matters for those who enjoy it. But nothing could be further from the truth. There is a reason that for more than a thousand years, our western culture was centered around Catholicism. God loves us and wants us to be in a loving relationship with him. When we recognize this, there is nothing more life changing. But to recognize it, we need to break out of the distractions of life and make space to hear his still, small voice.
Q) What part of your formation has been the most rewarding?
A) I have really enjoyed the intellectual formation. Going into the deep with our faith is such a powerful experience. Studying the history and breadth of what we believe is a source of comfort in a world unmoored from the truth. That being said, the most powerful part of formation has been a deepening prayer life. In prayer, we go beyond just learning about God and actually encounter him personally. It is from this relationship that we receive the strength not only to go out and live our faith, but to persevere in all circumstances.
Q) Who has been a model for your ministry?
A) Deacon Joe Michalak was the director of diaconate formation for most of our formation. His combination of articulate intelligence and a deep relationship with the Lord is a great inspiration. The way he could not only understand the truths of the faith but live them with grace and trust in the Lord throughout the ups and downs of life was a model for living an integrated vocation to both the diaconate and family life.
Q) What do you most hope to offer the Church through this vocation?
A) Deacons have a unique opportunity, being clergy who live and work in the secular world. Most of what fills my days as a deacon can be done by a layperson as well. I hope to be a witness to what a life can look like when it is completely given over to God, and an encouragement to others to dedicate their lives to God whatever their situation.
Q) What has been the most challenging part of pursuing this vocation?
A) By far, the biggest challenge to formation has been allocating time for so many competing needs. Formation itself takes a lot of time, with class filling a night every week and a full day every other Saturday. Being present to my family as a husband and father is a priority in life, often with things popping up on short notice. Work is always demanding both as far as time and mental focus as well. The key to managing all of this is definitely reliance on God, trust in his providence, and learning to humbly accept my own limitations. God has always provided what is needed in the moment.
Q) What can the Church do to inspire other men to answer the diaconate calling?
A) Seeing the joy in the life of the deacon is so important. There is sacrifice involved in the calling, not just for the deacon but even more for his wife and children. People won’t give up the good things they have and their comforts unless they see that the sacrifice is for a greater and more desirable good. As deacons, we need to model that greater good in a way that is appealing to those we encounter. Each of us has a unique calling from the Lord. He intentionally created us, and we owe it to him and to ourselves to seek out his will for our lives. Whatever the vocation, we will be most fulfilled when allowing ourselves to be an instrument in God’s hands to be used in whatever manner pleases him.
Q) What advice would you give another man discerning the diaconate?
A) Give God a chance to guide your life. There’s nothing to lose and so much to gain. Maybe he is calling you to the diaconate, maybe not. The diaconate formation process itself is such a valuable experience. I’m sure everyone in our class would agree that, even if they did not end up becoming a deacon, the formation itself has been overwhelmingly positive. So many times, we have left class and had discussions about how much we wished everyone could have these experiences because they have changed us as people and helped us to grow so much closer to the Lord.
