Denver Catholic

B8 I DEACON APPRECIATION AUGUST 13, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Catholic Education AND AMERICAN CULTURE September 6th, 2014 The Cable Center Denver, Colorado Featuring SENATOR RICK SANTORUM WWW.WYOMINGCATHOLICCOLLEGE.COM/FALLGALA C A T H O L I C L A N D E R , W Y W Y O M I N G C O L L E G E • • • • RICK SANTORUM RICK SANTORUM Universal Lending Corporation, #2996 6775 East Evans Ave. Denver, CO 80224 Call today! See if a Reverse Mortgage is right for you. Doni Dolfinger 303.791.4786 nmls# 266569 License # 100017629 23 Years Reverse Mortgage Experience You've heard the Reverse Mortgage ads on tv-make sure you use an established LOCAL home loan banker. Universal Lending...securing home loans for Coloradoans for over 33 years! Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary 12801 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (303) 425-9511 Mt. Olivet Cemetery 12801 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (303) 424-7785 St. Simeon Cemetery 22001 E. State Hwy. 30 Aurora, CO 80018 (720) 859-9785 • Professional, personalized service • Respectful • Compassionate Caring for the faithful in Northern Colorado since 1893 in their most personal time of need. THE ARCHDIOCESE OF DENVER CEMETERIES AND MORTUARY 25-year deacons From Page B7 his marriage and children. "The diaconate has brought my wife and me closer than ev- er, as we share daily prayer and the ministries of the Church," he said. "My children were all on their own when I was or- dained, but they are all mar- ried and practicing Catholics. … Their faith, I pray, is an out- growth my wife and I's faith." In his spare time, he posts to his blog called the "Monk's Corner" and does some mar- keting and website building on the side. He also enjoys photography and work on the computer. Deacon Leo Oehrle Deacon Leo Oehrle has spent the entire 25 years of his di- aconate ministering to parish- ioners at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Northglenn, in addition to visiting the sick and their families in hospitals. "I visit with people who need some uplifting, some spiritual help. It might be patients or families of patients," he said. "My purpose or aim is to give people peace of mind in a diffi - cult situation." For 20 years, Deacon Oehrle was a cantor as Masses at the Northglenn church before he was ordained a deacon in June 1989. Music is his avocation, he said. He's played the piano and violin since the age of 6. After ordination, he moved on to new ministry work, al- though he still enjoys music in his spare time. Before his ministry, Deacon Oehrle worked in administra- tion for a trucking business. He and his wife of 68 years, Ann, have fi ve children. Today they also have 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Together, he and Ann spend time, "deeply involved with each other in love and in prayer." Deacon William Trewartha After 10 years of discerning whether to enter the diaconate program, Deacon William Tre- wartha said to his wife, Jean, "If I am going to become a dea- con, I better get with it." "She responded, 'There is a meeting in Denver Saturday for men who are interested in becoming a deacon.' That was about as strong a sign that the Holy Spirit could have sent me. We went and the rest is histo- ry," he said. The Minnesota native was ordained in June 1989. His favorite part of his work for the Church is "minister- ing to the sick and the dying, plus following up with the bereaved." Baptisms are also rewarding, he said, because it creates an opportunity to bring people back to the Church. He and Jean, married for 52 years, have four children who have all been supportive of his ministry. "I was blessed that (my chil- dren) were young adults when I was ordained" and never felt the absence of his support, he shared. In his spare time, he skies and watches the Denver Bron- cos play football. "The nice thing about be- ing a deacon is there is always someone to serve and that gives the fulfi llment and joy of being Christian." Deacon Martin Wager It was the mentorship of three priests— Father Vince Connor, Msgr. Ken Leone and Father Roger Mollison—that infl uenced Deacon Mar- tin (Marty) Wager during his teenaged years to become a deacon. He was ordained in June 1989 and has since minis- tered to parishioners in Engle- wood at St. Louis and All Souls Church. He has spent his time helping people work on for- giveness and seek healing. "Realizing how the grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit can work through me has been something of awe and at the same time humbling," he said of the diaconate. "The blessings have been more than a hundred-fold." Deacon Wager worked as a FedEx Express courier and married his wife of 39 years, Kim. They have two children and one grandchild. Balancing his family, career and ministry has always been a challenge, he said. But behind every deacon is a saint—his wife, he said. He's enjoyed the unexpect- ed grace of presiding at bap- tisms, weddings and funerals for his family. Of the number of marriages he's blessed, Dea- con Wager's father-in-law once said, "We had so many daugh- ters to marry off, we had to get our own deacon." In their spare time, he and his wife spend time with their granddaughter, time with friends, read, write, travel, and watch and play sports. Deacon Wager continues to live the commission he re- ceived at ordination to receive the Gospel and to "believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach." 20-YEAR DEACONS In addition, the Denver Catholic Register congratulates the 20-year deacons; their profi les can be found at www.DenverCatholicRegister.org: • Deacon Joseph Benedetto • Deacon Philip Harrington • Deacon Robert Howard • Deacon Gregory Martin • Deacon Gary Miller • Deacon Richard Pelis • Deacon Chester Ubowski

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