I was ordained as a Deacon on February 6,  2000 after attending Deacon School of Formation for three years. I am assigned to St. John’s, Naperville for that is the parish that helped me discern this call and supported me during my schooling.  So the question you may be asking is “ What is a Deacon?”  We are ordained clergy who usually work outside the church offices during the week and are not part of the paid staff of a parish.

We are the Icons of Servant Ministry, for we work with the elderly, the poor, and the homeless and other outreach programs.  In our ordination vows we promise to bring the cares and concerns of the world to the attention of the church.  Most of us work on Peace and Justice issues and ministry to the elderly and infirmed.  My specific ministry at St. John’s is with the outreach commission, the healing team, confirmation classes, the Alpha Program and Christian Formation.  During the week I am a full time counselor in a diverse urban high school.

I was born in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in New York State in a family of five with my parents and brothers who attended the Methodist Church.  After I was married, I became an Episcopalian who spent many years in active lay ministry as the Director of Education, Eucharistic Minister, altar guild, and Vestry to name a few.  Professionally, I taught in elementary grades and had my own pre-school for twenty plus years.  I have a Clinical Counseling License, with an Addictions and Family Therapy specialty.  I have been a Child Advocate and Therapist and taught in the Human Services Dept. part- time at the local Junior College.  For the past twenty years I have attended formation programs at the local Cenacle Retreat House. There I have learned and still practice Ignatian Spirituality.  I was a Retreat Leader and had a private therapy practice prior to being ordained.

I am the mother of three and am expecting my fifth grandchild in March.  In my spare time, that I make sure to guard, I love to travel and play with grandchildren and garden, cook, or read.

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