“The Church is looking for people to minister to people in all walks of life. And that is a diaconal trait. It’s the giving of yourself. You’re not seeking things for yourself, but you’re living your life to bring joy and love to others, and by doing so, you’re actually getting a lot more than you give.” — Deacon Jason Lanham
Wouldn’t it be great to bring the Diaconate back to St. Michael’s? I know a couple of deacons who live on Wilmington Island who might be enticed to head east on Tybee Road rather than heading into Savannah for their ministry, but I would love to have a “homegrown” deacon back on Tybee. I will continue to invite deacons from elsewhere to visit with us, but I’d love to have a permanent deacon on Tybee. No doubt many of you remember the days when this faith community was blessed with the ministry of Deacon Charles Hosti and Deacon Fret Crider.
Forty years after I was ordained a deacon, it was a joy to be present at the Cathedral as Deacon Jason Lanham was ordained on May 19, 2018. The following day Jason assisted at his first Mass as a deacon here at St. Michael’s. I am happy that he and his family are back with us this weekend.
Years ago, Deacon Jason Lanham and his wife, Irene, were inspired by the servant heart they witnessed in an ordained deacon. The Lanhams’ two eldest daughters, Kathryn and Evelyn, were both born with heart defects, requiring trips to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Stanford, Calif. It was there that the couple experienced firsthand the generous service of a deacon. “When the girls were having their surgeries, a deacon from a local parish in Stanford visited us daily in the pediatric ICU,” Deacon Jason says. “That was a very special time, especially since we were out there without any family. And that is the role of the deacon — to travel out to those peripheries, those margins, and bring the Gospel. That really inspired me.”
To say that Irene has had a hand in encouraging Deacon Jason’s path to the diaconate would be an understatement. While the couple’s time in Stanford had planted an initial seed, Deacon Jason always thought that he might pursue the diaconate a bit later in life, perhaps after retirement. Then one evening, Irene was driving home from a stewardship talk at St. Mary on the Hill and asking God if there were any other ways her family could serve the Church. Suddenly, she felt that the Lord was asking her to encourage her husband to discern a call to the diaconate. Just days later, Deacon Ken Maleck spontaneously approached Deacon Jason about the diaconate program as well.
From there, Deacon Jason talked with me at length and attended a meeting to find out more about becoming a deacon. He then began the required five years of study. Between full-time work as a medical doctor in the Army and the busy home life as a father with six children — Kathryn, 13; Evelyn, 11; Faith, 10; Francis, 6; Joseph, 6; and Theresa, 3 — the past five years have certainly been very full for Deacon Jason! He credits the ongoing support and sacrifice of Irene for making those years of study possible.
Yes, the formation process can be intimidating but if you think God might want you to consider the deaconate, God will provide the grace to see you through to ordination. The five-year formation program is divided into three phases. The first year will be one of Aspirancy, devoted to the spiritual formation of the applicant and his wife (if married). It is also a time for the applicant to take a look at the Diaconate Program and examine closely, with prayer and discernment, if you truly feel the call of a diaconal vocation, with all of its blessings and responsibilities, with a total commitment.
The second phase for those selected to continue on as a candidate will consist of three years of academic studies at a graduate level through St. Leo University, a Benedictine university with its main campus in Tampa, Florida. These classes will be held in Dublin, Georgia, one weekend per month. If the student does not currently have a baccalaureate degree, arrangements can be made directly with the University to fulfill the balance of the credit hours leading to an undergraduate degree. The candidate will be required to complete a summer internship during each of these three years in his parish in conjunction with his pastor.
The fifth year of study will be devoted to pastoral formation and practicum. Upon successful completion of all three phases of the Program, those candidates called forward by the bishop will be ordained. On the Diocesan web site you will find a very comprehensive application on the 'Apply to the Permanent Diaconate'. The minimum age for a candidate for the program is 35. The maximum age is 60 at the time formation begins. Talk to me if you have questions.