The Joy of Giving Everything Away: Brother Thomas Gonzaga Ordained Transitional Deacon in Denver
After 11 years with the Servants of Christ Jesus, Denver's newest transitional deacon embraces a life of surrender, service and joyful evangelization — and Archbishop Golka reminds Catholics that true freedom comes from giving everything to God.
Did downtown Denver get brighter on Saturday morning? Or was that the joy radiating from the Archdiocese of Denver’s newest transitional deacon’s face?
For Deacon Thomas Gonzaga, SCJ, Saturday’s ordination was the providential culmination of 11 years of formation with the Servants of Christ Jesus, a Denver-based religious order. It was also the first ordination for the community in several years. God willing, he will be ordained a priest in the spring.
Beaming with an otherworldly joy, Deacon Gonzaga made evident several spiritual gifts, Denver Archbishop James Golka noted in his homily.
“It’s very easy to tell some of the gifts that God has given him: a gentle spirit, genuineness, honesty, humility, a desire to grow in faith,” the archbishop said. “And, Thomas, we must say that those are gifts that God has given you. They don’t belong to you. We know that, and you are to steward those gifts and continue to share them for the betterment of the people of God.”
Those very gifts — and several others that God will uncover throughout Deacon Gonzaga’s ministry — must be given away, the archbishop emphasized.
Putting it bluntly, he quipped, “You give and you live. You hoard and you die.”
The Servants of Christ Jesus smile with Archbishop Golka following the ordination Mass. Father John Ignatius, SCJ, community superior, presents Brother Thomas for ordination. Priests, brothers and novices of the Servants of Christ Jesus smile with Archbishop Golka.
(Photos by Grant Whitty/Denver Catholic)
A Missionary Community
Different from diocesan clergy and seminarians, Deacon Gonzaga is called not only to give these gifts to the people of God, but also to and through his religious community, the Servants of Christ Jesus.
Describing his community, Deacon Gonzaga said the Servants “follow Jesus through the missionary spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the charismatic and penitential life of St. Francis of Assisi.” Their mission, he explained, is to bring souls to encounter Jesus and to bring Jesus to souls, especially youth and young adults.
That service begins in intense prayer and formation. Over 11 years, the Servants study philosophy and theology at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver, teach in local Catholic high schools, lead retreats nationwide and serve on mission across the globe. They also make the 30-day Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and go on a “poverty pilgrimage,” begging from one city to the next, relying only on God’s providence.
The Servants’ unique formation prepares them to give themselves completely to God and his people, a dynamic Archbishop Golka celebrated during his ordination homily.
“It really is a gift for the archdiocese to house this ministry with us. You bring gifts that are enriching to our local church,” he said. “Your charismatic presence, your reverence in praying, your dedication to prayer life, your generosity of service enhances so many people. So, on behalf of the people of God in the Archdiocese of Denver, thank you for all of that.”
Br. Thomas Gonzaga lays prostrate before the altar during the ordination Mass. Archbishop Golka lays hands on Br. Gonzaga, ordaining him a transitional deacon. Archbishop Golka presents Deacon Gonzaga with the Book of the Gospels during the ordination Mass.
(Photos by Grant Whitty/Denver Catholic)
Surrender, Love and Service
In a word, Deacon Gonzaga emphasized, the charism of the Servants of Christ Jesus is kenosis, the self-emptying love for souls that Jesus embodied and which St. Paul describes in Philippians 2:6-11.
“We too desire to ‘empty’ ourselves with Jesus so that others may know and love him,” Deacon Gonzaga said.
As a new deacon, Deacon Gonzaga’s self-emptying love takes on a new character, Archbishop Golka emphasized.
“Your ministry of the Word, the altar and charity in the world is to be a servant. You get to wear official vestments. You get to stand next to the priest or the bishop at this altar. But this ministry is not about being privileged. It’s about being servant,” he said.
But this self-emptying love is not only for Jesus or for the Servants of Christ Jesus, the archbishop continued. It’s for all Christians.
“Kenosis means to take everything God has given you and you give it all away. It means to surrender, but not to give up, but to give over,” he explained. “You become different. What a gift to receive all of God’s gifts. I’m fascinated by Jesus Christ, who did this perfectly. He did not grasp anything that the Father gave him fully; he gave it all away.”
Because of this generous self-gift, the archbishop emphasized, citing St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Jesus was raised to new heights. We, too, are invited to share in that risen life, surrendering ourselves to the Father.
“Look at him on the cross, the best example of love multiplied that we have. Because he gave it away on the cross, the Father was able to raise him to a higher pitch than anything else. We call that resurrection, brothers and sisters,” Archbishop Golka said. “I sense that unless we learn how to do that, we’re not going to know the resurrection God has in store for us.”
Deacon Gonzaga assists at the altar during the ordination Mass. In his homily, Archbishop Golka called the faithful to a more generous surrender to Jesus. Deacon Gonzaga prepares the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist during the ordination Mass.
(Photos by Grant Whitty/Denver Catholic)
The Freedom of Obedience
What does that surrender look like? For the newly ordained deacon, the answer appeared in a simple exchange with the Allied Discalced Carmelites of the Holy Trinity.
As Archbishop Golka and Deacon Gonzaga were eating lunch one day, the archbishop asked the sisters if they had advice for the man to be ordained.
“Be holy,” one sister repeated after each one shared advice.
Smiling after the umpteenth time hearing the advice, Deacon Gonzaga asked the sister, “How?”
Immediately, another sister said, “Be obedient.”
“We know obedience means to be docile, which means to be free,” Archbishop Golka explained. “That’s the opposite of how our world looks at it. To be totally obedient to God means you will be totally free. Unless and until you trust God enough to do that, you’ll never know the freedom that God desires for you.”
Archbishop Golka embraces the newly ordained Deacon Gonzaga during the ordination Mass. Overwhelmed with emotion, Deacon Gonzaga smiles during the ordination Mass. Deacon Gonzaga embraces Deacon Ernie Martinez, archdiocesan director of deacons.
(Photos by Grant Whitty/Denver Catholic)
A Mission of Joyful Evangelization
For Deacon Gonzaga, this journey of following Jesus in greater surrender has been the most exciting and meaningful adventure of his life.
When asked what he would say to those beginning that very journey, the new deacon could hardly contain his excitement.
“Oh, this is such an exciting time! Jesus is the most amazing, brilliant, strong, loving, kind person, and he’s alive right now,” he shared. “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.”
That conversation only happens in regular prayer, he emphasized.
“Spend time in prayer with him every day. That’s the number one most important thing to do. Pray. Pray. Pray,” Deacon Gonzaga said. “Prayer is wonderful. You can hear him by praying with Scripture.”
Having received such great gifts in his relationship with Jesus, Deacon Gonzaga said he is most excited to give them away, both now as a deacon and in the future as a priest, encouraging others to come to know Jesus more and more.
“I am most excited to help souls!” he shared. “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.”
As he looks to the beginning of his diaconal and, God willing, future priestly ministry, Deacon Gonzaga emphasized the importance of surrender, learning to trust Jesus with everything.
“Don’t be afraid,” he concluded. “Only trust and surrender. He is eminently trustworthy.”
