Bishop John N. Tran

On Saturday, May 31, our seminarians Eric Baylot, Jacob Butz, Juno Lee and Sean Lee were ordained transitional deacons at St. Peter Chanel Church in Roswell by Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer.

Prior to the ordination Mass, I had the opportunity to congratulate and thank them for their generous response to God’s call to a life of service in the church. These seminarians didn’t just take a step toward ordination to the priesthood, as deacons they now share in and are configured to Christ the Servant. Everything they do moving forward, including the priesthood, should be imbued with the spirit of diakonia. They are called not to lord over God’s people, but to serve them with great humility and love in season and out of season.  

The ordination of our deacons is also an opportune time for each of us to reflect on God’s call. For us as Catholics, our vocation is not about a career or profession, but a divine calling. God calls each of us to live a particular state of life for the good of the church, the world and our salvation. Whether in marriage, religious life, single life or priesthood, every vocation is rooted in our relationship with God and a universal call to holiness. 

But how do I know what God is asking of me? How do I discern God’s call in a noisy world with so many distractions, constant changes, competing voices on social media and pressure from others?

The four seminarians ordained to the transitional diaconate May 31 prostrate themselves before the altar at St. Peter Chanel Church. Photo by Julianna Leopold

To find clarity in our discernment, the following may be a good place to begin: have a prayer life, a daily conversation with God in order to hear his gentle whisper and reflect on God’s Word; ask the Holy Spirit to guide you; participate in the Eucharist on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation and weekdays when possible; strive to live in a state of grace by celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation regularly; read the lives of the saints; study church teachings and traditions; surround yourself with those who share your faith and values; know yourself, your gifts, limitations and what motivates you; have a spiritual director or mentor to guide your discernment; live a life of service by participating in the life of your parish and be involved in works of mercy.   

While we give thanks to God for our newly ordained deacons and continue praying for them, may we also be intentional about God’s call of us. The call and time may differ, but all of us are called to holiness and to become who God made us to be.  

In answering God’s call, we discover our true purpose and happiness not only in this life but in the next; for vocation is not about what we do, but who we are called to be by God.