Meet our future deacons

David Henn

• Age: 39
• Spouse: Mary Ellen
• Home Parish: Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood
• Occupation: Attorney

Who are the important role models in your life of faith?

The first role models in my faith life were, and continue to be, my parents. I am blessed to have parents who devoted themselves to raising their family in a home filled with faith and love. The second role model in my faith life has been my wife, Mary Ellen. She truly is the spiritual center of our home, keeping me and our children grounded in our Catholic faith. The third role model in my faith life would be my pastor, Msgr. Mark Svarczkopf.

What are your favorite Scripture verses, prayers and devotions?

I have a particular devotion to St. Joseph—a devotion which has grown over the past several years. As our children get older and more involved with school and extracurricular activities, I feel a strong connection to St. Joseph, who was a husband, a father and a worker. I know that, in many ways, he has walked the road that I am on now, and I often find myself in conversational prayer, asking St. Joseph to intercede on my behalf, seeking the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit to be a better father and husband.

Deacons often minister to others in the workplace. How have you experienced that, and how do you anticipate doing that in the future?

As an attorney, it is common to encounter people who are facing problems in their lives, their families or their work. People come to lawyers seeking legal solutions to their problems. As a deacon, it is my hope that with the grace of God I can also make present to those people the truth that Christ loves them and is present with them.

How will being ordained a deacon have an impact on your life and family?

Our children, Sydney and Collin, were 5 and 3 when we started this journey five years ago. They cannot recall a time when their Dad was not preparing to become a deacon, and they have grown up in a house dedicated to ministry. The children participate in our ministries, such as accompanying me when I take Communion to shut-in parishioners, and we have fun as a family doing these things. And the children share their experiences with their friends at school. Perhaps hearing Sydney and Collin talk about these things, especially about how much fun they have sharing this time with their Mom and Dad, will carry the ministry of deacons to a new generation. †

 

(Go to the Deacon formation homepage)