Feeling of fulfillment
By Megan HansonArticle Photos
"Five years ago I would have said,'no way,' but now it's all I think about."
Jason Myhre of Minneota said he never thought he would want to become more involved in the Roman Catholic Church, but today he is on his way to becoming a deacon, a clerical position ranked underneath a priest.
Myhre will belong to the first class of deacons in the New Ulm Diocese, which just started a diaconate program last year.
The five-year program involves one aspirency year where candidates think about their decision and make sure it is the right thing to do, followed by four years of theological study.
The choice to enter the deacon program came after the Myhres had struggled with their commitment to their church and faith.
"Growing up Catholic we went to church, but our conversion was only three to four years ago, and Tina and I went through it together," Myhre said.
"It was all taught to me, but I didn't listen," Myhre said.
"I never knew my faith, and I fell for misconceptions," Myhre said. "When I told my brother about the possibility of me leaving the church, he gave me a book to read. I started to understand the teachings, and I kept reading and studying and came to the truth."
A family friend, Rich Heffington, took the Myhres further in their faith.
Heffington is a friend he met while working as a farrier at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Myhre said.
"He led a Bible study in the morning at the track with Tina and I, and through that we decided we wanted Christ in our life," Myhre said.
"We had a desire to do more, and didn't want to just go, sit in the pews, and then leave. We wanted it to be more than just one hour of the week," Tina Myhre said.
From there it progressed into the diaconate.
"I thought about the diaconate, but there was no program available. Then we talked to our priest and found out they were starting one," Myhre said.
Heffington, who is still friends with the Myhres, said he feels that Jason was called to be a deacon by God, and that it is "nothing to be taken lightly."
"I saw Jason go from just knowing about God to having a tremendous desire to get to know God," Heffington said.
Heffington said he is "so excited" for Jason, but is also excited for the people Heffington thinks Jason can help.
"I'm so proud of this kid," Heffington said.
Deacons have been a part of the Catholic Church since biblical times, and their duties are lined out in the sixth chapter of Acts, where deacons are created to help the apostles.
"Like a priest, I am an ordained minister, but I can't do confessions or a full mass. I can do everything except consecrate the eucharist," Myhre said.
Deacons, unlike priests, are allowed to be married and have families. In fact, families are encouraged for deacons.
"Families are very important for deacons. The church isn't supposed to be a top priority, and it is supposed to be our belief in God, then our family and job, and then the church," Myhre said.
Classes are held once a month for an entire weekend in Sleepy Eye.
Because of the importance of families, wives and children are also invited, and sometimes mandated, to attend the classes and study in the program.
"Wives can come to the classes, and there is childcare for the kids," Myhre said.
It was important to Myhre to have family allowed on class weekends.
"Even though it's only one weekend a month, I probably wouldn't do it if I had to be away (from my family)," Myhre said.
"There's not as much responsibility as a priest," he said.
Some of his future duties could include marriages, funerals, counseling and preaching.
Myhre is even getting a head start on a few of them. He leads a Bible study two times a month at St. Edward's Church in Minneota to a group of six people.
One of the women in the study, Jeanne Schmidt, said that she is "really impressed with Tina and Jason's commitment. It's a big sacrifice, and they are young. Most young people are going after money and careers."
"We have gone after those things, and we weren't happy," Jason said in reply.
"Before (we turned our lives to God) we always wanted for more, we weren't happy, there was always something missing," Myhre said. "That was filled when we turned our lives over to God."
