The North Star Catholic / Archbishop Schwietz’s encouragement shaped a generation of deacons

By DEACON MICK FORNELLI

“We have to remember that being a bishop isn’t a job. It’s our deepest sacred identity, it is who we are.”

This quote by Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez sums up what and who Archbishop Roger Schwietz is and how much he appreciated and contributed to the deacon community in the Anchorage Archdiocese.

Since 2004, 14 men have been ordained to the permanent diaconate and currently there are five additional men in formation with a projected ordination date of May 2018.

I first connected with Archbishop Schwietz during the first year of my formation preparing for potential ordination to the permanent diaconate. The archbishop would drop by our classes from time to time to check in with us and see how we were progressing in our preparation for ordination in May 2009.

Under his guidance and support we were able to announce the commencement of a new class the very next year. Once again, Archbishop Schwietz was present to meet the members of this class. This same pattern of support and encouragement and presence occurred not only through this class but with the next class that began three years later.

While his support of those being formed for the permanent diaconate was constant, he also found time in his busy and hectic schedule to spend time with his deacons.

His door was always open to us if we needed to talk with him. He was always present for our deacon retreats to say Mass. He took great joy in being able to socialize with “his” deacons. He hosted an annual reception for deacons and their wives as a way a way to say “Thanks” for our efforts over the previous year and to thank the wives of the deacons for sharing their husbands with the church. He opened the door for the deacon community to wear Roman collar on a gray shirt when in sacramental service; in serving and visiting the sick at hospitals and retirement homes; while serving the homeless at Bro. Francis Shelter; and while working in ministry at the jail or at the prisons.

But more than these gestures of support and commitment, Archbishop Schwietz was a great teacher, and by his example demonstrated the importance of pastoral commitment not only in his spiritual example but also in his dedication to the social service ministries. His visitations to the hospitals and the homebound were an example to all the ordained community. I had the privilege of working closely with him at Brother Francis Shelter with the homeless and joining him to celebrate Christmas Eve Mass for the homeless residents. The time he would take to greet each resident or talk with individuals was both heartwarming and an inspiration.

With patience he set an example for us new deacons as we struggled to serve with him at so many of the various liturgies. When is the mitre removed? When do we take the crosier? When do we make the appropriate verbal responses at Mass?

I remember one of the first Masses I served with Archbishop Schwietz. When it came time at the end of Mass for me to say, “Bow your head for God’s blessing,” I completely blanked out. Archbishop gently turned to me and said very quietly “Bow your head…” And that is exactly what I did, I bowed my head quite reverently to him and he smiled and then said to all present “Bow your head for the blessing.” One more example of his patience and pastoral empathy.

As deacons we have been blessed to have Archbishop Schwietz as our mentor and archbishop. While we look forward to working with Archbishop Etienne, we will all have fond memories of our time with, and of the support we received from, Archbishop Schwietz.