2024 marks the 50th Jubilee of the Permanent Diaconate here in the Archdiocese of Denver. Through preaching, service, worship and prayer, deacons serve the people of God in unique ways through their various ministries and lives. This article is one of a series of articles the Denver Catholic will publish in 2024 which will feature local deacons and/or a diaconal ministry. There are many Deacon Saints who were martyred for their faith. In this year of Jubilee, the deacons of the Archdiocese of Denver are asking for prayers through the intercession of Saint Euplius of Cantania, deacon and martyr. Learn more about this Deacon Saint here.
In a testimony that would make St. Matthew smile, one Fort Lupton deacon was drawn from southern California and Mexico to Colorado, from the IRS to the Archdiocese of Denver.
Deacon Pedro Reyes never saw it coming. Growing up bouncing between southern California and Chihuahua, Mexico, he studied to become an accountant’s assistant.
After he got married and moved to the United States permanently, he sought a better job, studied for the GED and began working for the IRS after hearing in a radio commercial that they were hiring.
Even while working to collect taxes, Deacon Reyes collected ministries, serving in various capacities at St. William Catholic Parish in Fort Lupton.
Starting with the Movimiento Familiar Cristiano (Christian Family Movement), he slowly became more and more involved.
“I used to sit in the back and not say anything,” Deacon Reyes said. “But then slowly, I began to fall in love with the Church and the teachings.”
Growing in faith and service, he was invited to consider the diaconate. Rejecting the idea at first, Deacon Reyes put the possibility out of his mind. But then, a powerful moment in prayer flipped everything on its head.
While on retreat, praying to the Holy Spirit, he received a powerful vision of himself serving as a deacon next to a young priest in his home parish.
“That brought to mind that this might be true after all,” Deacon Reyes shared. “That was my cue to take this a little more seriously. So I started praying about it.”
Only a little while later, his pastor retired and the very priest he saw in prayer became the parish’s new pastor.
With that divine confirmation, Deacon Reyes approached his new pastor about the possibility of a diaconal vocation. Having just arrived at the parish, the priest encouraged him to remain involved as they got to know each other.
Over the next few years, Deacon Reyes became increasingly involved in the parish’s liturgical aspects, serving at Masses and training altar servers.
“I discovered through that particular ministry that I really loved the liturgy, and I really loved being there,” Deacon Reyes said. “Not necessarily up on the altar for everybody to see, but up there making sure that the Mass was done in the most reverent way.”
The tax collector by day found himself growing ever closer to the Eucharistic Lord, who continued to call Deacon Reyes to follow him.
Through many twists and turns – and even emergency gallbladder surgery! – that path eventually did lead him to the diaconate and then to the Archdiocese, where he now serves as the Operations Manager for the Vicar for Clergy’s office. In his new role, he builds up the Kingdom of God by supporting our priests.
For Deacon Reyes, it’s all part of his diaconal vocation.
“One of the things that I was told in formation many, many times is that, as a deacon, your main job is to make sure that the priest is able to focus on praying to God and offering Mass up to God,” he said. “You’re the one in charge of ensuring everything is set so that he doesn’t have to worry about it.
“And that’s how I’ve always viewed my life when I started working for the Church, and now here in the Vicar for Clergy’s office,” he added. “I’m taking care of decrees and whatever goes on, but it allows the priests to focus on praying to God and to be more in the image of God, just like in Mass. However, it’s extended outside of Mass to do the same thing. So long as I’m taking care of things for them, they can focus on praying to God, offering Masses and being there for the people.”
In short, through his work serving our priests, Deacon Reyes lives his vocation in a particular way by taking a bit off their plates so they can focus on their uniquely priestly duties: bringing Christ to his people and the people to Christ through the sacraments.
While Deacon Reyes sees this mission as integral to his diaconal call, he said it is by no means exclusive to the deacon. In fact, every parishioner can – and should – pitch in.
How, one might ask?
“First of all, be there for our priests. Show them your support,” Deacon Reyes said. “Invite them over. Be welcoming to them. Show him that he has somebody to trust, not just the deacon or the parish staff.
“To know that the community loves you, that they’re embracing you and they’re going to be there for you, and showing that he’s not alone is something very big,” he concluded.
