Deacon class of 2004 remain close, stay open

Last June, the deacon class of 2004 gathered for the 20th anniversary of their ordination. The five men come from varied backgrounds, but share a common belief that they learned in their ministries – be open.

“Be open to the Holy Spirit,” said Deacon Jim Jaworski. “Be open to guidance. Be open to taking suggestions. And try to be a better listener.”

“Try to be open to everyone else,” said Deacon Robert Dobmeier. “I have some pretty determined values about faith and the Church, and it has been a challenge to me to be open to rulebound types of approaches to the Church, But everyone’s voice needs to be heard. The Lord loves all of us.”

Being open led Deacon Jaworski, Deacon Dobmeier, Deacon Kevin Smith, Deacon Michael Comerford and Deacon Michael Canzoneri to Christ the King Seminary where they studied for five years to learn theology, Church history and homiletics. Lessons they brought to ministries in their parish and public communities.

“I had absolutely no idea or ever thought about becoming a deacon,” said Deacon Jaworski. He had been leading his parish mission with his wife, Grace, when a priest asked if they ever considered the diaconate. “So, we thought about it, prayed about it, then decided to put in the application.”

As one of the founders of the Buffalo Men’s Conference, he is proud to have been a part of the long running program. After attending a national men’s retreat, he met the founders of a Cincinnati men’s group that helped start a similar gathering in Buffalo.

“They gave me their primer on how they did it, and we replicated it here in Buffalo,” he said. “It’s been going on 22 years straight.”

To pinpoint a Favorite moment, he quickly answers, “Baptizing my triplet granddaughters. That was chaotic and fantastic.”

Chaotic because of the number of family and friends and especially children running around. “Thank God it was in the afternoon on a Sunday. We had the church to ourselves.”

Deacon Dobmeier had a different approach to ordained ministry. A consistent participant in Mass and a Catholic school student, he felt the call to serve God throughout his whole life.

“I felt the Lord touching my soul, calling me. It’s been a lifelong call,” he said. “And there have been moments and years when I did not want to hear that call. I was rebelling at times, but through my adult life, when I got beyond the teen years I became pretty interested in and open to the Lord’s call.”

He had studied for the priesthood in the 1970s, but stepped away to get married and have children.

“Somewhere in the middle of things, around 1999, I told my wife I wanted to look into being a deacon. She supported that. That’s when the journey began,” he said.

He enjoys preaching homilies at St. Teresa Parish in South Buffalo and “breaking open the Word.”

“I like being a part of creating opportunities for people to understand Jesus and the Father better,” he explained. “That’s my main purpose in preaching. I’m trying to communicate how the Lord touches my heart to help people have an experience of the Lord touching their hearts.”

He also leads a Bible study and RCIA, and has performed a number of weddings for the young folks at his parish.

Deacon Canzoneri had only been involved in church ministry 10 years before entering the seminary. He served mostly in youth ministry.

“My faith really developed from there,” he said. “As I began to need answers to the questions my teens were asking me, I needed to do the research. It really prompted me to educate myself and learn more about the theological position of our Church, our Catechism, and my faith grew as a result.”

Like most deacons, he looked into the formation program at the suggestion of someone else.

“It was really a 15-year journey that led me to the diaconate,” he said.

Becoming an ordained minister has only brought him joy. From his first assignment at Immaculate Conception Parish in Ransomville, where he served under Father Herold Nuewer, and Father James O’Conner.

“My first parish assignment was the parish I had been serving that led me to the diaconate,” he said. “So, I was absolutely thrilled to receive a parish assignment at the very parish, serving the very people who supported me through the whole process. It was a wonderful experience.”

He calls it a “wonderful country parish community” where the programs worked great and the community had a wonderful sense of faith.

He retired from active ministry in 2019. He thinks his most important aspect he reaped from his time serving the Church is learning how Jesus is always with you.

“What stands out is the Lord, Jesus Christ is with you throughout all the phases of your lifetime. I wasn’t always a deacon. I was in ministry about 14 years, before that He was with me and blessed me. And during that time, He was with me and blessed me. And in my retirement, He is still here. So, the biggest lesson is regardless of what is happening in your life – the good times, the bad, the happy, the sad – the Lord God is by your side. He’s always there for you to lean on and He’s always there supporting you. Just keep in mind He is there.”

Deacon Smith found the more involved he became in St. Gregory the Great Parish, the more he wanted to be involved. After taking part in a parish mission there, he and his wife, Peggy, joined the Williamsville parish. He took a class at Christ the King Seminary on Spirituality, which happened to be an introductory course for the diaconate. There, people began to ask if he was planning on becoming a deacon. He wasn’t.

“My goal was just to increase my knowledge of the faith,” he said. When someone suggested joining the diaconate. He thought he should think about it. After filling out an application, he found himself on the road to the diaconate.

He likes helping people rediscover what Christ can do for them. He has seen Catholics leave the faith in teenage years and early 20s.

“I like the idea of helping people come back and really get excited about their faith again,” he explained.

He considers his ordination to be the best singular moment of his life as a deacon. “That weekend was a matter of just walking on air. I don’t think my feet touched the ground the entire weekend. It was such a faith-filled weekend filled with the Holy spirit. I definitely felt the graces of the sacrament more than any other time in my life.”

The class of 2004 and their wives still get together every year on their anniversary, and meet for breakfast or dinner a couple times a year. “We stay connected,” said Deacon Jaworski.