Deacon Heffernan celebrates 25 years as deacon

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Posted November 28, 2002

John Heffernan of Sioux City is celebrating his 25th anniversary of ordination to the permanent diaconate. He is one of the first two in the Diocese of Sioux City. Bill Berger of Sioux City also marks his 25th anniversary as a deacon.

Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo will preside at a Eucharistic celebration slated for 11 a.m., Dec. 7, at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City.

It was on a fishing trip with Berger about 30 years ago that the men spoke of their desire to learn more about the permanent diaconate.

Heffernan, who had an order buying business at the Sioux City Stockyards, felt a call to become more involved in the church.

"I have always been interested in the church," he said. "I have been active in it since college days and the diaconate looked like a good way to be more committed and believe me it is a commitment. It has been a wonderful 25 years, but it is a commitment."

At that time the Diocese of Sioux City didn't have a formation program, so they secured permission to check out the diaconate training program offered by the Archdiocese of Omaha. Both Heffernan and Berger were accepted into the Omaha program that was led by Father Patrick McCaslin, who plans to attend the Dec. 7 celebration.

"We didn't have any idea whether we could serve here," noted Heffernan, who added that South Sioux City, Neb. wasn't very far away. "We thought we would go ahead and let the spirit guide us."

For two-and-a-half years, the men drove back and forth to Omaha for classes. Sometimes it was twice a week, others three times.

"Both of us wore out a car," he said. The men paid for the expenses they incurred.

As they neared completion of their formation process, Bishop Frank H. Greteman of the Diocese of Sioux City had said he would ordain them. With that in mind, the men finished the last six months of their training in Sioux City.

The men were ordained by Bishop Greteman on Dec. 10, 1977 at Cathedral of the Epiphany. Within a short time, the Diocese of Sioux City began to offer their own diaconate formation program.

Deacon Heffernan was assigned to Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City.

"The diaconate is a servant ministry," he stressed. "The basic thrust is to work in a ministry with the people. Our public role is at the altar but from that grace at the altar, it gives us direction to go out into ministry in other areas."

While officially retired, the 77-year-old deacon continues to be involved in the parish. However, he hasn't assisted at Mass for a couple of years now due to a bad ankle.

Through the years Deacon Heffernan has been involved in prison ministry, hospital chaplain ministry and served as the co-director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate for about 12 years. He also worked on several annulment cases and guided those seeking marriage preparation.

In the role as the co-director of the diaconate, his main responsibilities were to raise awareness about the diaconate through informational meetings in parishes, answer questions about the ministry and provide support to other deacons.

The deacon pointed out that his wife Sylvia was supportive of the ministry as were his seven children - John III (Joe), Mary Pat, Mark, Dan, Mike, Sylvia and Katie.

He has witnessed all of his children's marriages and baptized all 20 of his grandchildren.

As for his own faith life, Heffernan said that the diaconate has "supported and strengthened it."

"The diaconate," he noted, "fills out the orders. There are the bishops, the presbyters and the deacons. It is an ordained ministry and brings the blessings of orders to our ministry."

He described the 25 years of his diaconate as wonderful. Unfortunately, while people have always been very supportive, Heffernan is not certain that all parishioners truly understand the role of the deacon.

The deacon stressed the fact that they can never take the place of priests, but in some ways it was beneficial the diaconate ministry was reinstated prior to an evident priest shortage. As priests have had to take on a greater workload, Heffernan noted that deacons can lift some of the burden from pastors shoulders especially in pastoral ministry areas.

"I've worked with some great priests and have found all of the deacons to be very committed to their faith," said Deacon Heffernan of his 25 years in the diaconate.