Get to Know the Archdiocese's Two New Transitional Deacons!
The Archdiocese of Denver is overjoyed to welcome two new deacons to our local Church! While they may have been ordained thousands of miles and a week apart, both men have dedicated their lives to serving the Church in Northern Colorado.
On Thursday, October 1, Deacon Carl Berner was ordained a transitional deacon by Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome alongside 17 other U.S. seminarians studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
On Saturday, October 10, Denver Archbishop James Golka ordained Deacon Thomas Gonzaga, S.C.J., to the transitional diaconate at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver. The first man to be ordained for the Servants of Christ Jesus in several years, Deacon Gonzaga is a religious serving in the Archdiocese of Denver.
We asked our newest deacons about their vocation journeys and what they're most looking forward to in their new vocations. Read their responses and get to know them better!
Deacon Carl Berner
Hometown: Shaker Heights, OH
What are you most looking forward to about being a priest?
I am looking forward to celebrating Mass more than anything else. To offer, in the person of Christ the Head, the greatest act of worship to the Father, with and for Christ's mystical body, the Church, seems to me to be the culmination of my entire life.
Tell us about one person — clergy or lay — who inspired you to follow the Lord more closely.
I am indebted to the layman responsible for preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation at my parish growing up. His presentation of Thomas Aquinas' "5 Ways," five arguments for God's existence, deeply impacted me and convicted me of the truth of the Catholic faith at a pivotal point in my life. His inspiring witness kept my heart tethered to God in high school, when many of my peers stopped practicing. I am very grateful for him.
What would you say to someone beginning to follow the Lord and his plan for their lives?
God knows your story, your personality, everything that makes you happy. In surrendering your life over to him, you lose nothing of what makes you who you truly are. He intends on realizing your deepest desires and making you supremely happy. Hold nothing back!
What’s your favorite spiritual holiday tradition?
For Christmas, my family would attend the "Midnight Mass" (10:00 p.m.) at the Cathedral. We would always go early for the choral concert that preceded the Mass. The sacred Christmas music was unmatched in preparing us to celebrate the coming of Christ.
Deacon Thomas Gonzaga, S.C.J.
Hometown: New Orleans, LA / Houston, TX
Home Parish: Risen Christ, Denver
What are you most looking forward to about being a priest?
I am most excited to help souls! For an atheist, this may be a conversation and prayer that introduces them to Jesus for the first time. For those who, for example, already pray daily, I want to help them know the next right step to take on their journey to God. Of course, I am looking forward to offering Mass for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls. But most of all, I am looking forward to hearing Confessions. I have always been grateful to priests who made themselves available to hear my Confessions. So, most of all, I desire my priesthood to be marked by being an instrument of God’s mercy in the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Tell us about one person — clergy or lay — who inspired you to follow the Lord more closely.
I am blessed to know many, many persons, both clergy and lay, who have inspired me to follow the Lord. I’d like to tell you about them all. Yet, I would not be where I am today without my superior and spiritual father, Father John Ignatius, S.C.J. Father John is a true Abba like the desert fathers. His wisdom, docility to the Spirit and sacrificial generosity inspire me to become holy myself in every aspect of my conduct (see 1 Peter 1:15). Although I had a love for Scripture before entering our community, Father John has given me an even greater hunger for God’s Word and is an example of the “blessed man” that Psalm 1 describes. Those who know him will likewise bear witness that he is like the tree planted beside the flowing waters of God’s grace, who bears the fruits of the Spirit, blessing those around him. I respect and honor him greatly in the Lord.
What would you say to someone beginning to follow the Lord and his plan for their lives?
This is such an exciting time! Jesus is the most amazing, brilliant, strong, loving, kind person, and he’s alive right now. He desires friendship with you. He is waiting for you in the Blessed Sacrament and within your own soul. He wants to speak to your heart. Spend time in prayer with him every day. That’s the number one most important thing to do. Pray. Pray. Pray. Prayer is wonderful. You can hear him by praying with Scripture. Finally, don’t be afraid. Only trust and surrender. He is eminently trustworthy.
What’s your favorite spiritual holiday tradition?
My favorite liturgical season is Advent. It is a season of longing for the Lord. I think this longing must be distinctive in our whole Christian life on earth. I’ve always loved the hymns of Advent, the prayers of the Liturgy and the Advent wreath. However, Advent concludes with my favorite spiritual holiday tradition: the Christmas Octave. As Servants of Christ Jesus, we always take the eight-day octave from Christmas Day to January 1 to have a “stay home vacation” and spend time together. We sleep in, play sports and board games, watch movies and eat desserts to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord. I look forward to it every year.
