My family and I have been members of St. Dominic parish for over 23 years. You might say that we are part of the 11:00 am Mass crowd.

I work for the Medical College of Wisconsin as Director of Instructional Media for the Department of Anesthesiology. Most of the St. Dominic school families are more familiar with my wife Linda. She works as the school lunchroom/playground supervisor. Her work is truly a "labor of love." Our daughter Amy attended St. Dominic School K-5 thru 8th grade, and just graduated from Marquette University…she may be a Marquette "Golden Eagle", but I will always be a "Warrior."

Linda and I view St. Dominic's as an extension of our home / family life.  We have been active in many areas over the years... parish council, school board, home & school association, delegate for the archdiocesan pastoral council, numerous committees, lector and Eucharistic minister to name a few.

I am a product of Jesuit education, having attended both Marquette High and Marquette University, so the Ignatian, Jesuit tradition of service and "being a man for others" has had a profound impact and influence on my life.

A number of years ago, I was struck by the words of Psalm 116: "what return can I give to the Lord for all his goodness to me." I felt a desire to do something more for the Church. Over time, the feelings waxed & waned but they would not go away. Encouraged by our previous pastor, Fr. Curt and others to look into the Diaconate, I inquired back in the mid -90's, but the time did not seem right for the required commitment. A second inquiry was made a few years later, but I was still unsure. Finally, my third inquiry in 2003 was the charm! Everything seemed to fall into place and after a long year of interviews and evaluations, my application to the Diaconate Formation program at St. Francis Seminary was accepted.

The Diaconate dates back to the early church when the apostles called forth individuals to help serve the needs of the faith community, allowing them more time to preach the Gospel.  St. Steven is considered to be the first Deacon. Over time, however, the ministry of the Deacon disappeared. In the 1960's, Vatican II recognized a need for the Church to be active and present in society and in the workplace, so the ministry of the Permanent Diaconate was reinstituted.

So who is the Deacon? The Deacon is more than an adult altar boy! He is an ordained minister of the Church called to minister in word (in which he proclaims the gospel and preaches), worship (in which he assists the priest at liturgies, is an ordinary minister of the Eucharist, baptizes, witnesses marriages, presides at funeral services and leads the community in prayer) and service (ministering to the community in many different settings from the parish to hospitals and nursing homes, prisons, or shelters for the abused and homeless). Service, in fact, is the hallmark of the Deacon. The word "deacon" comes from the Greek, "diakonia," which means "to serve." The Deacon bridges the gap between the Church and society, bringing the presence of the Church and Jesus Christ into the workplace, the home and community. He is a servant-leader who works to empower others by fostering their gifts of service.

Now my five-year journey of formation and study in response to God's call to serve His Church as a permanent deacon is nearing completion. It's hard to believe that the long awaited Ordination Day of June 13 is only a few months away. Amidst the final classes, my fellow deacon candidates and I are busy planning the ordination liturgy, designing invitations, selecting vestments, and drafting ministry covenants with our parishes. It is with great joy, satisfaction and relief that the long years of formational study will soon be over. At the same time, there is a certain amount of sadness, as I will miss routinely seeing my classmates who will go their separate ways, venturing into parish and diocesan ministries. The bonds of friendship, prayerful support and spiritual growth that the 10 of us have forged and experienced over these years of study are truly God's gifts. Without the Holy Spirit's presence and support for us and our families along this arduous journey, I don't think Ordination would have become a reality.

One of the greatest attractions for me is that the Deacon is part of the same fabric of the community and parish family he serves. He shares in the same joys, problems and daily life responsibilities, paying the bills, shoveling the snow, changing the kids diapers, while at the same time, he is a representative of the Church and her mission in society of building up and making present the kingdom of God.

I look forward to continuing the work of the Deacons here at St. Dominic's: Larry LaFond & John Libecki, as we are all called to SEEK, KNOW and BECOME Christ for the sake of one another.

Fr. Kevin McManaman
Seminarian Intern at St. Dominic 2008-2009 2011 Catholic Herald Article My name is Kevin Mc Manaman and I was ordained to the priesthood on May 21 , 2011.  I will serve my first assignment as a shared associate pastor for St. Roberts, Shorewood and Holy Family, Whitefish Bay.  My hometown parish is Nativity of the Lord in Cudahy, Wisconsin.  I did not hear the call of the Lord to enter seminary until I was a student majoring in History and Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  I first heard this call through my mother while I was preparing for my Confirmation.  About a year before I graduated from the university I was prepared to apply for acceptance into the Priestly Formation Program.  However, while in the process of applying, I was very uncomfortable.  So, I withdrew my application and thought that a career in teaching was better suited for me.  Looking back, I think that I felt unworthy along with being fearful of my future.  I took a couple of years away from active discernment to pursue teaching.  Yet, the desire for priesthood never left my heart.  Eventually, I decided that I needed to explore this call further and the only way to do that was to enter the seminary.  I reapplied and was accepted for the Fall of 2005.  Since that time, I have experienced the happiness that only comes through following God's call.  I am always thankful that I had the courage to apply to the seminary because my call has been continually confirmed in the last few years!
Hugo Londono
Seminarian Intern at St. Dominic Summer 2010 2011 Catholic Herald Article Fr. Hugo was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 2011 at St. John's Cathedral. Fr. Hugo's first assignment is a shared associate pastor for Prince of Peace, St. Hyacinth and St. Vincent parishes in Milwaukee.

Fr. Luke Strand

Associate Pastor: Holy Family Parish-Fond du Lac Waukesha Freeman Article: "Family's three sons called to priesthood" Catholic Herald Article "Unexpected Call to Conversion"

Decisions, decisions, decisions...It can be too easy for us as individuals in discernment to think of our vocation as just another decision--something that we choose according to a careful analysis of pros and cons or likes and dislikes. Often in discernment we are so focused on ourselves--what will be best for me, what will give me the most happiness, what will I get out of this choice--that we forget about the most crucial dimension of discernment: the will of God. Only through an experience of Jesus Christ will we understand what will be best for us, what will give us the most happiness, and what will lead us to the greatest fulfillment (2 Cor. 12:9). Therefore, discernment is not as much about a decision as it is about a commitment...a prayerful commitment to self-gift (Mt. 16:25).

It's nearly impossible to ever take a step in discernment without getting beyond ourselves through the process of making a complete gift of ourselves. We can mull over, sort through, and analyze a difficult decision year after year. If we do not challenge ourselves by prayerfully making a genuine self-gift, it will be very difficult to discover God's call. We will continually ponder the potentiality of making a decision, rather than coming to the realization that the way has been pointed out for us by Christ Himself (Prv. 16:9). If our hearts are truly focused on Jesus and His will in our life, we will not only hear the words, "Follow me," but will have the courage to respond. This response to Christ is where our vocation comes to fruition, where we as Christians strive to be imitators of God, united in His love.

"Make a gift?" you ask. How about helping out at your parish with religious education, RCIA, liturgical ministries, or even office work? Have you thought about going on a mission trip, serving at the local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, visiting the sick, calling a friend whom you know is depressed, ministering on a college campus, starting a Bible study group, helping with pro-life work, and most importantly, before all the others, praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament! The opportunities are bountiful. If you can’t think of anything, ask your pastor, or better yet, start something!

Fr. Phil Bogacki

Associate Pastor, St. John Vianney Parish, Brookfield My name is Phillip Bogacki from Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Milwaukee. I was a seminary intern at St. Dominic Parish  in 2006-2007 and I was  ordained to the priesthood on August 1, 2008.  Currently I am associate pastor at St. John Vianney Parish.  Prior to entering the seminary, I received an accounting degree from Marquette University.  The most rewarding part of my time in the seminary has actually been the challenges.  Seminary life gives you a very unique opportunity to explore your own life in a deep way and review how you function and what "makes you tick."  Whatever one decides to do in the long run, spending time in a seminary will be beneficial, if only for the opportunity to know oneself better.  There are great challenges in the seminary and in priesthood, but Christ always gives you the grace to endure those challenges and succeed, and often in ways you'd never expect!