Deacon David Drysdale and his wife, Joan. Deacon Drysdale will serve at St. Joseph Parish in Trenton. Deacon David D. Drysdale
Deacon Drysdale, 64, a master instructor and owner of Drysdale’s Tae Kwon Do in Riverview, said a friend, Deacon Mark Redwine, encouraged his vocation to the diaconate. Through confession on Divine Mercy Sunday, “I heard God’s call in the silence of my heart to serve Him and His people as His servant deacon,” he said.
Deacon Drysdale attends St. Mary, Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish in Rockwood and has volunteered in prison ministry, soup kitchens, nursing homes, social justice initiatives, teaching Bible studies and reading literacy, ministering to those in mourning and bringing the Eucharist to the homebound.
“I love helping others, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religious background,” said Deacon Drysdale, of Trenton. “Our Lord, who came to serve not to be served, prepared bread and fish for his disciples at the lakeside. This He did as an example for me (us) to feed others so that they may not die of hunger or of spiritual death.”
In addition to teaching Tae Kwon Do, Deacon Drysdale loves to read, especially Scripture and spiritual books, as well as going to movies, concerts and the opera.
Deacon Drysdale is married to Joan and has four adult children — Tina, 48; Claudia, 46; David, 38; and Daniel, 36 — and nine grandchildren. He completed his parish internship at Christ the Good Shepherd Parish in Lincoln Park.
Deacon John Fitzmaurice and his wife, Susan. Deacon Fitzmaurice will serve at St. Mary Parish, St. Clair.Deacon John Fitzmaurice
Deacon Fitzmaurice, 54, a school principal from St. Clair, said he felt an “uneasiness” in his life before he received the call to the diaconate. “I was not comfortable with what I was doing and was not sure where I was going,” he said. It was at the encouragement of fellow parishioners at St. Mary Parish in St. Clair that he discerned a call to ordained ministry.
A member of the Knights of Columbus, Deacon Fitzmaurice has served in parish evangelization, service to those with addictions and in various liturgical roles. He looks forward to “serving others through Jesus” and “being a witness through my disposition, presence and actions.”
“I realize that the Holy Spirit will provide the attributes needed to help people in times of grief, need and celebration,” said Deacon Fitmaurice, who enjoys bicycling, walking and watching Netflix series.
Deacon Fitzmaurice is married to Susan and has three children: Ryan, 23; Adam, 22; and Ellen, 18. He completed his parish internship at Holy Trinity Parish in Port Huron.
Deacon Tim Leonard and his wife, Christine. Deacon Leonard will serve at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Dearborn. Deacon Tom Leonard
Deacon Leonard, 64, a theology teacher at Detroit Catholic Central High School in Novi, has always admired the ministry of permanent deacons.
The Detroit native and parishioner of Divine Child in Dearborn has served in prisons, hospitals and ministered to the poor and inner-city homeless. He said he sees his new ministry as a way to focus on the New Evangelization through service to the parish and its faithful. A deacon, he said, is trained to “minister at the altar, proclaim God’s word in various settings, doing works of charity and acting as the ordinary minister of the Eucharist, baptism and funeral services.”
Deacon Leonard, who enjoys studying and teaching Scripture, hunting and exercising, is married to Christine and has five adult children ages 28-39. He completed his internship at St. Anthony Parish in Belleville and is a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus.
Deacon Phillip McCown and his wife, Janice. Deacon McCown will serve at St. Mark Parish in Warren.Deacon Phillip Wade McCown
Deacon McCown, 59, an electrical engineer from Troy, attended a silent retreat when he heard God’s silent calling to become a deacon.
“I was serving a Mass at my home parish, SS. Cyril and Methodius (in Sterling Heights), and the priest that I served Mass for, Fr. Francis Budovich, asked me if I had ever thought of becoming a deacon,” he said.
After volunteering as a sidewalk counselor, hospital minister and in parish evangelization ministries, Deacon McCown looks forward to being able to “accompany and serve the people I come into contact with on their journey in being closer to God.”
The father of two adult sons — Phillip, 30, and Paul, 27 — is married to Janice and completed his internship at St. Anastasia Parish in Troy. A fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Deacon McCown enjoys doing amateur radio in his spare time.
