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40 Dcn. Rex Pliger Ordained 5-28-88 Dcn. Tim Heaton Ordained 6-26-21 Dcn. Joe Gerber Ordained 6-12-04 Dcn. Matt Archer Ordained 6-24-11 Dcn. Hugh Downey Ordained 6-16-84 St. Joan of Arc Parish and staff give special thanks to our deacons and their wives. We also want to say CONGRATULATIONS to Deacon Rex on his retirement. The Staff and Parishioners of St John Paul II Catholic Parish want to thank Deacon Rich Milinazzo, Deacon Taylor Elder and Deacon John Sedlevicius for their tireless commitment to our community. 3951 Cottonwood Lakes Blvd, Thornton, CO 80241 D E ACO N R O B E R T U P H O FF Queen of Peace Parish in Aurora 1 The most valuable thing for me was to expand and deepen my prayer life. Specifi- cally, we learned about many types and forms of prayer — most I had not been exposed to previously. One of the most efficacious was the practice of the presence of God throughout the day. Developing a deeper contemplative prayer life was foundational and transformative. Lastly, I relied heavily on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, such as the discernment of spirits and discerning the will of God. I benefited greatly from four years of sharing our collective prayer experiences among the men in formation. Comparing and contrasting our prayer experiences was instrumental to my development. 2 The Eucharist was central to my formation. Both my wife Ann and I regularly participate in daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. The Eucha- rist was my rock during the storms of formation. The Eucharist was also central to my formation capstone assignment. This focus of my capstone was to grow in virtue by growing in friendship with God. In a spe- cial way, I relied on the graces received from regular participation in Mass and Eucharistic Adoration to strengthen and sustain me in the pursuit of temper- ance and fortitude. There was a direct correlation between these Eucharistic practices and growth in virtue and deepening my friendship with God. 3 I would characterize it a whisper that grew to a roar over time. During the initial stage of discernment, the Lord encouraged me through parishioners and clergy at my home parish, Our Lady of Loreto. They saw possibilities in me that I did not see in myself. My wife, Ann, and I just took it one step at a time. It was a "yes" to a thousand little steps. I was confident that the Lord would give me a sign if he didn't want me to proceed. During the last two years of formation, the encour- aging whisper became a roar. My confidence in the call grew as I began to be formed in the image of Christ the Servant. My desire is that more men in the diocese follow this example. Don't look at it as a long-term commitment to start. Just investigate it. Say "yes" to the first step. Then see where the Lord takes you from there. That was the process for me. I am grateful to God and to all who played a role in my discernment. AUGUST 2023 | DENVER CATHOLIC