Career change guides path to diaconate for Sioux City man

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 1, 2007

It was a career and life change that ultimately led a Sioux City man to follow a call to the permanent diaconate. Mark Wyant will be ordained to the diaconate on March 3 with four other men.

This Sacred Heart parishioner pointed out that he had been a police officer for 13 years when an injury took him from that work. At that time he had done plenty of soul-searching and began the process of discerning a call to the diaconate.

With a desire to learn more about the Catholic faith, he started taking theology classes through the Church Ministries program in the year 2000 and shortly thereafter he officially entered the formation program for the diaconate in the diocese.

Wyant acknowledged that some of his initial reasons for pursuing this ordained ministry were slightly self-centered but through formation, discernment, personal growth and time, his motives for following this path have changed.

"It really started because I wanted to be heard," he explained. "I had wanted to get out of a lifestyle that I wasn't happy with - do something to make me change. But as the process has gone on, I am continually letting go of what I want from this and I am looking forward to the service."

Upon his ordination, Wyant mentioned that he is looking forward to a deeper participation at the altar along with the chance to be with people during sacramental aspects of their lives such as at baptisms and marriages.

Wyant said that seeing the example of Deacon Bob Wiskus and witnessing how involved the deacon was at Mass helped to plant the initial seed about this ordained ministry.

Although it was certain responsibilities and ministries that come with the diaconate which initially drew Wyant to this ministry, in the end, he believes that the diaconate will present him with the best opportunity to serve the people. He desires to serve God's people.

"Ultimately that is why we are here. Where we find our fulfillment is in service to other people," he said. "Doing it for ourselves is a hollow, shallow way to approach life."

The deacon candidate already is quite involved in serving the church. As an acolyte, he purifies vessels at the end of each weekend liturgy to prepare for the next service and ensures that the ministers of the Mass such as lectors, Eucharistic ministers and altar servers are in attendance. Wyant is a lector, Eucharistic minister and he and his wife serve as a Sponsor Couple for marriage prep. Prior to this year with the pending ordination, he had served as a catechist for the parish religious education program.

Wyant, who works in carpentry and construction, mentioned that his father set an excellent example as to a person having the capacity to successfully go through a life change. He described his father, who is now deceased, as "a man's man" who was very strong and never took anything off of anyone. After a stroke and heart attack, Wyant said it took his father from a vibrant and strong, young man to a weak and elderly man.

"He embraced it," said the deacon candidate. "As I changed, I kept looking back at his example."

The deacon candidate pointed out that his class was slated for ordination much earlier, but was delayed with the transfer of Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo, the former bishop of Sioux City.

"I told the guys that's my fault because it was God putting things on hold until I had the right heart for it. Any shifts in goals that had to happen or any view of the ministry that had to change, has changed," he noted.

Wyant and his wife Jacque have seven children: Mary, 23; Tom, 21; Amanda, 17; Molly, 12; Kristin, 10; Matthew, 10 and Gabriel, 5. Two of the children are adopted.

He is appreciative of the support of his family and called his wife an incredible woman.

"When there were times when I've wanted to slack off, she has been a real rock and guided me back to it," said Wyant.

Jacque said she is excited for him because when his career as a police officer ended, serving the people was what he missed most.

"The diaconate is a way for him to combine two things that he really loves - his faith and his service to people," she said. "He has always been very strong in his faith. He was a huge influence in my formation."

Jacque believes that her husband will make a good deacon because he always puts other people before himself.

"With his formation, he has become more thoughtful about prayer and how it influences our lives and the lives of our children," she said.

In addition to the support of the family, he mentioned that the people of the parish have been very supportive.

"The right people have been placed in my life at the right time or events have occurred at the right time to facilitate this and keep the calling alive," noted Wyant. "My shoulder being injured was one of the biggest blessings for me."