Archbishop Golka celebrates first Deacon Day with call to self-emptying service
- Deacon Ernie Martinez
- 3 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Annual gathering brought together Denver’s deacons, wives, widowed deacons, widows and priests for Mass, renewal of promises and fraternity
Deacons from across the Archdiocese of Denver, including active, retired and widowed deacons, gathered on August 12 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Thornton for the archdiocese’s annual Deacon Day, together with their wives and the widows of deceased deacons and priests.
The annual gathering offers Northern Colorado’s deacons an opportunity to renew the promises made at ordination and to gather around their archbishop as one diaconal community. With Denver Archbishop James Golka and Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez in attendance, this year’s special Mass and banquet was a moving one.
“Every opportunity we are offered to share time, prayer and fellowship with the archbishop is priceless,” said Deacon Jerry Swain of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Denver.
A Saintly Example
Deacon Day this year was celebrated on the optional memorial of St. Euplius of Catania, a fourth-century deacon and martyr. Arrested during the persecution of the emperor Diocletian on August 12, 304, St. Euplius refused to surrender the Book of the Gospels that he was carrying and to renounce his faith.
“I am a Christian, and I read the Sacred Scriptures,” Euplius declared under torture.
Sentenced to death, he was led to his execution with the Book of the Gospels hung around his neck. He was beheaded while praising God.
In his homily, Archbishop Golka connected the witness of St. Euplius with the threefold ministry entrusted to every deacon: service at the Word, the altar and in charity.
Reflecting on Jesus’ priestly prayer in John 17, proclaimed at the Mass, the archbishop noted the prominence of the words “give” and “world.” The Father gives all authority to the Son, but above all, the Father gives Jesus his disciples. That gift carries with it a responsibility of stewardship.
For deacons, this stewardship is expressed by proclaiming and teaching the Word of God, serving at the altar and bringing Christ’s charity into the needs and suffering of the world.
The “world” in John’s Gospel, Archbishop Golka emphasized, is not an evil place from which Christians must escape. God created the world good and desires to reclaim what has been wounded by sin. Deacons, therefore, must be intentional disciples of Jesus Christ; men sent on mission into the world rather than separated from it.
Deacons Called to Self-Gift
At the banquet following Mass, Archbishop Golka developed that mission through the theme of kenosis, the Greek word used to describe Christ’s self-emptying in Philippians 2.
Christ, though divine, did not cling to his status but “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). This self-emptying lies at the heart of diaconal identity, becoming a living sacramental sign of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve.
The keynote reflected a theme long present in Archbishop Golka’s teaching. He has described kenosis as Christ giving away his entire self, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. He has connected that self-gift with the Eucharist, the washing of the disciples’ feet and the Church’s mission of charity.
For a deacon, kenosis means holding nothing back from Christ. It is lived in visible ministry at the ambo and altar, but also through less visible sacrifices: responding when ministry is inconvenient, accompanying people in grief, serving the poor and allowing one’s time and plans to be interrupted by the needs of others.
The presence of deacons’ wives, widowed deacons and the widows of deceased deacons made that message especially poignant. Each bears witness in a particular way to the fidelity, sacrifice and love accompanying a lifetime of diaconal service.
“It’s encouraging to share even a short time with other deacon wives,” said Darci Swain, Deacon Swain’s wife. “There are so few occasions where we see each other.”
Brotherhood, Service and Faith
The evening also honored four deacons whose ministries collectively total 145 years of ordained service. Deacon Richard Bowles of St. Paul Parish in Colorado Springs, Deacon Ray Noll and Deacon Henry Sandoval of Guardian Angels Parish in Denver were recognized for 45 years of ordination, while Deacon Mark Kinnare was honored for 10 years.
“It’s a meaningful opportunity to recognize and congratulate our brother deacons who have faithfully served for a long time,” said Deacon Taylor Elder of Immaculate Heart of Mary. “It’s also one of those moments when we get to acknowledge the gift of our wives and the sacrifice of the widows.”
One archdiocesan priest in attendance said the gathering revealed something deeper than the number of years served.
“I was struck by the brotherhood and love for the Church that these men lived in their diaconal life,” he said.
The gathering also included some members of the formation class scheduled for ordination in 2027.
“Attending the Deacon Day Mass and dinner as a diaconal candidate was a special privilege,” said William Stanley. “We had the opportunity to attend Mass with the archbishop and to hear his thoughts on deacons and the importance of their ministry. Then, having time to socialize with the deacons over a meal, we got a glimpse of what it means to be a deacon and to hear about the impact that deacons have in the world today. It was a beautiful night of fraternity, and I was blessed to be able to attend.”
Members of the Knights of Columbus served the banquet meal, generously expressing their love of service through their hospitality. Their quiet and attentive work reflected the spirit celebrated throughout the evening, charity made tangible through service to others.
Even the distances traveled became part of the evening’s good humor. Deacon Chet Ubowski of St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Littleton offered perhaps the night’s most concise assessment, “It’s the longest drive to dinner I’ve had in a while.”
Deacon Day 2026 ultimately pointed beyond a single celebration. Through the witness of St. Euplius, the renewal of promises, the recognition of faithful service and Archbishop Golka’s call to kenosis, the gathering returned Denver’s deacons to the heart of their vocation.
Like the Gospel book St. Euplius refused to surrender, the Gospel has been entrusted to them. Their mission is to proclaim it, serve it and embody it by allowing Christ the Servant to give himself through their lives, for the Church and for the life of the world.
