Deacon candidate's Baptist grandfather influences decision to work in church

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Feb. 22, 2007

As a child, Mike Stover of Ida Grove remembers hearing his grandfather, a Southern Baptist deacon, give sermons. With that in mind, Stover always had the thought that he might want to work in the church one day.

"Doing something in ministry has always been in the back of my mind since I was in junior high but at that time I was a Lutheran," he said. "I always thought about being a minister and two of the buddies that I ran around with at that time are Lutheran ministers to this day."

Stover's father, who became Lutheran because that was the faith of Stover's mother, died at a young age. Stover is the oldest of five children and was just 14 when his dad died. His mother was in her late 30s and he recalled that the family's Protestant minister worked nights to support his own family so was unable to visit them at their time of need. It was a Catholic priest who spoke to his mother as she grieved.

"My mom came home and said we were becoming Catholic," he remembered. "Actually, I had a few arguments with my mom because I had already been confirmed in the Lutheran church and was pretty active in the church, but mom put her foot down." At that time they lived in Ralston, Neb., near Omaha.

In the back of his mind, he thought that he could always switch back to Lutheran after he was in his 20s.

"I never did because it felt right being a Catholic," said Stover.

Eventually, he grew to love the teachings of the Catholic Church and on March 3, he will be one of five men to be ordained to the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Sioux City.

Because of his grandfather's involvement in the Baptist Church, Stover mentioned that he always had the thought that he wanted to not only serve in the church but proclaim the word. The diaconate will allow him to proclaim the Gospel and preach among other duties and ministries.

Stover, who had been a schoolteacher for a number of years prior to going back to school to become a lay pastoral minister, works in full-time ministry for Sacred Heart in Ida Grove and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Holstein. As he was studying theology, it was the parish's new pastor, Father David Hemann who suggested that he investigate the diaconate along with the pastoral ministry work.

Initially he didn't think the diaconate was his path, but after much prayer and discernment he grew to believe that he was being called to the vocation. Once accepted into the diaconate program, it was determined that the master's level theology courses were sufficient for the theology part of the formation and started with the pastoral formation portion.

Stover, who earned his master's in December of 2003, said, "As I am ordained, I think it completes the pastoral ministry side."

He noted that two of the people he has helped to educate in the RCIA process will be baptized this year and they would like for him to do that. Once ordained a deacon, he will be allowed to baptize.

Vicki, who converted to Catholicism after they were married, said she is excited for her husband with the upcoming ordination because she knows this is something "he really wants to do."

"I think he is very empathetic, very organized and he deals very well with people," she said, pointing out just a few of the qualities she believes will make her husband a good deacon.

Through her husband's formation process, Vicki mentioned that her faith and knowledge of the church has grown. As a deacon's wife, she mentioned that she anticipates that her participation in the life of the church will increase.

"I am really excited for all of the guys. They are all great guys - very dedicated to this ministry. I think the church is lucky to have them," said Vicki.

The Stovers have three children: D.J., a student at Western Iowa Tech; Matt and Carissa, who are high school students.

Reflecting on the upcoming ordination, Stover mentioned that he is humbled.

"I had the feelings of being unworthy of this, but at the same time I know this is what God is calling me to do and has prepare me for," he said. "God is calling me to be his servant."

In addition to his family, Stover credited the Benedictines from St. Michael's in Elk Horn for enhancing his Catholic faith. He went to minor seminary at the school for a couple of years before leaving the seminary and earning his bachelor's at Wayne State College.

Unfortunately, Stover's mother died about 18 months ago but she was aware that he had entered formation for the diaconate and that pleased her.