Deacon's ministry covers wide swath of county

Pastors and parish life directors in the Albany Diocese often head as many as three parishes. But not many Catholics realize that some deacons spread their ministry over a large area, as well.

Since his ordination to the permanent diaconate in 2001, Deacon Joseph Cechnicki has served St. James parish in Fort Plain, Ss. Peter and Paul's in Canajoharie, and St. Patrick's in St. Johnsville.

He told The Evangelist it was his own idea to help out at all three parishes when he learned that each had asked that a deacon be assigned to it.

Balancing act

The idea was initially objected to by Rev. Joseph Cotugno, then head of formation for the diaconate (since deceased).

"He said it would be kind of overwhelming," Deacon Cechnicki explained, adding with a chuckle: "He was right!"

However, in five years of ministry, the deacon has learned to balance a complex schedule of work at three parishes that hold seven weekend liturgies among them. Although he can't attend every Mass, he gets to as many as he can each week to serve at the altar and preach.

On the road

Deacon Cechnicki's wife, Carol, draws up a weekly schedule and reminds him which church he's heading to next: Ss. Peter and Paul's, which is 10 miles from his home; St. James, another three miles; or St. Patrick's, eight miles beyond that.

"I usually leave early enough that if I do mess up, I can make it to the right place!" he joked. "I think [there was] only one time I messed up."

The main focus of the deacon's ministry is at St. James. There, he not only serves at Mass and preaches, but also visits homebound parishioners and co-teaches a combined Confirmation class of students from all three churches, along with Rev. Kenneth Swain (see sidebar).

Advantages

The Confirmation class pointed up an advantage of having such a diverse ministry: Deacon Cechnicki served as "master of ceremonies" for the Confirmation ceremony, readying things for Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, so he got to follow the students from preparing for Confirmation right through receiving the sacrament.

There are other advantages, he continued, such as getting familiar with several different communities.

He joked that it's also good that "people don't know where I am." Since his schedule is so complex that he's not expected to be at every Mass, he can take a vacation without people keeping track of him.

Drawbacks

On the other hand, the deacon noted that with three parishes' worth of Catholics to meet and greet, "you don't get to know the people very well quickly. I've been there for five years, and I recognize the faces, but not the names."

In addition, he often serves at a Mass he hasn't been to for a month and hears the comment, "Hey, we haven't seen you in a long time!"

Deacon Cechnicki isn't sure whether multiple-parish ministry will become more common for deacons in the future. He noted that, in outlying areas of the Diocese's 14 counties, it's often harder to find deacons available to serve, so more deacons may serve several parishes in rural areas.

"It'll depend on who is called to be a deacon and in what area," he concluded.

(The three-parish cluster Deacon Cechnicki serves is headed by Rev. Kenneth Swain, pastor of St. James and sacramental minister for St. Patrick's; Sister Johanne McCarthy, CSJ, parish life director at St. Patrick's; and Rev. William Gaffigan, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul's. There's a reason Carol Cechnicki is so good at managing her husband's schedule: She is an organist at four churches in Montgomery County, the three Deacon Cechnicki serves and the Reformed Church in Canajoharie. In addition to his other ministries, Deacon Cechnicki chairs the Christian welfare committee at Ss. Peter and Paul's, which collects clothing and furniture to distribute locally and send to an interfaith mission in Kentucky.)

(8/10/06) [[In-content Ad]]