Thank you, Deacon Hector!
/As Deacon Hector moves out of the parish to become closer to his grandchildren, he offers this reflection of his life at Seton Parish. Seton Parish will greatly miss his smile, generosity, and dedication!
I was asked to write down some thoughts about my time at Seton Parish. How do you talk about 24 years that changed my life and the lives of my family? Well, I will try.
In 1996 both my wife Mary-Lloyd and I were offered jobs in Columbus Ohio. At the time, my employer for 19 years was being closed because of the base relocation and closure (BRAC.) A few months earlier we were given the opportunity of travelling to Columbus for a briefing at DSCC, the supply center. I couldn’t tell you where in Ohio you could find Columbus, let alone Pickerington. I thought, hey wouldn’t it be nice to be a Knight of Columbus in Columbus. My wife and I liked the feel, the first impressions of Columbus from that first encounter with central Ohio living.
I was given the option of taking a job in Washington DC which would mean a 2 hour commute each way. Well, that was a no brainer for us. We decided to pack up and travel to Columbus and look for a place to live. I had to go to a 6-week class in Manassas Virginia and Mary-Lloyd and my youngest, Michelle would get things ready for the move. Michelle was 12 at the time.
I made the move to Columbus and stayed in temporary housing in Gahanna and I was joined about a month later by my wife and daughter. That first weekend together, we looked at 12 houses and our daughter Michelle liked the first and 13th house we looked at. We bought the home in Pickerington with the thought of living here until I could retire and move back to Waynesboro Pennsylvania. Mary-Lloyd’s parents relocated to be closer to us and the grandchildren. Tell God your plans!
In Waynesboro, I had been very active with our parish, St. Andrew the Apostle. I had just served as Grand Knight for two years and I was going to be a pew warmer at our new parish. Michelle liked Seton over St. Pius because the “people were younger.” We also liked the priests who were there. Fr. Denis gave away beanie babies and Fr. Dwayne dyed his hair and skateboarded and used a super soaker. Fr. Steve was a great shepherd and he made us feel right at home. It is hard to believe that that was 24 years ago, almost a quarter century.
The next year I got involved in our long weekend to Cranks Creek. What a wonderful experience. This was the beginning of the end for my pew warming days. I met wonderful parishioners, too numerous to mention. I will tell you though, two families who stood out were the Schalks and the Millers (Don and Tracey). There were many many more. This was the beginning of my journey to the diaconate (Deacon). Heck, I didn’t know what a permanent deacon was. The diaconate had been suppressed in the Harrisburg diocese and the only deacons we met were transitional deacons. I met Deacon Dave Kruse and I was inspired by this man. He was married and he assisted at Mass and he preached, he Baptized and solemnized marriages. Well, after some classes at the Diocesan summer institute at the Pontifical College Josephenum, I became interested in the Diaconate. Fr. Steve Hawkins encouraged me to pursue the training to become a Permanent Deacon.
Just a note: Twenty years ago, we began perpetual adoration here at Seton. I have had two different hours, the first was early on Thursday morning and the second was from 6-7 am on Sunday mornings. In my humble opinion, the outreach and the weekly hour with the Lord helped me follow my vocation to the diaconate. I believe that it has played a very important role in the discernment of Frs. Dave Schalk, Ty Tomson, and Brian O’Connor.
My wife and I spent almost 5 years in formation with weekend classes with 11 other couples at the Josephenum. I was ordained on May 6, 2006 (my sister’s birthday) and have served 14 years as your deacon. I have baptized and assisted at baptism for many of your children. I have witnessed many weddings and have had the privilege of presiding and assisting at almost all the funerals at Seton.
I have had the pleasure of preparing many parents for the baptism of their children. Debbie Clegg and I have trained many lectors and with the help of Wayne Patterson and many others, too numerous to mention, have trained altar servers. Debbie Clegg and I have led the Seton Scripture Studies at Seton ever since Sister Nancy Ames was transferred to Lancaster to be closer to her parents.
I believe the most important mission I was given was to assist Monsignor Ed Fairchild (our founding pastor). It was my pleasure to assist Fr. Ed on Friday and Sunday mornings and other special liturgies. What a gift he has been for our parish. He founded our parish over 40 years ago and he has been a priest of our diocese for over 60 years. It was quite a coincidence, but I assisted him at his last regularly scheduled Mass on the first of March this year. The very next day he landed in the hospital and he will most likely be going to Mother Angelina McCrory Manor for rehabilitation and will be living at the Villas after that.
Over the past few years, my wife’s health has been a matter of concern. Our house in Pickerington became a challenge for her because it was a split level and she was having difficulty because of foot surgeries and restless leg syndrome. My eldest daughter who lives in Dublin needed me to help her in the summers and school breaks. It seems that every time my grandchildren needed me, I was needed at church for some celebration or other.
I felt that we needed to move into a rancher for my wife’s health and we needed to be closer to my five local grandchildren. Last November we found a condo in Powell (close to the zoo-go figure). Normally deacons retire at 70. I will be 69 in May and look to assist at a church in Powell or somewhere close. I love being a deacon and feel called to the ministry of the diaconate. I probably will never retire but I need to be there for my wife and my grandchildren.
I thank Fr. Jim for giving me the opportunity of serving as your deacon. It has been my pleasure. I also thank Fr. Jim for bringing me on staff and giving me a staff position for 12 years. I asked to step back two years ago, and I still found it difficult to cut back on doing what I loved doing. Fr. Jim told me that he did not expect me to commute back and forth from Powell. I will especially miss my nursing home buddies. We have gotten close over the years.
I thank Aaron Christy for picking up where John Letourneau and I left off with the web site and other electronic initiatives. He is to be commended for really bringing us to where we are as a parish. I also love how Liz Christy has done wonders with the adult faith formation of our parish. She is especially gifted.
There are many more, too numerous to mention. Seton parish will always be my parish. I will miss all of you. I am thankful for being able to help mentor Deacon Greg Waybright who continues to fight the good fight. Please do not forget him.
Let us remember Fr. Steve Hawkins, Fr. Bill Maroon, Deacon Dave Kruse and Deacon Joe Checca. May they rest in peace.
I thank Fr. Bill Maroon, who helped me and my wife through our 18 months of sabbatical when I was not sure if I was going to be ordained. I would not be a deacon if it hadn’t been for him. We spent a lot of time at Bob Evans rewriting letters to the Bishop. And finally, I thank my wife Mary-Lloyd who sacrificed and had to take the back seat to my responsibilities at Seton. Without her love and support all this would not have been possible.
I leave you with two gospel verses:
Galatians 2: 20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I Am God.”
This last verse is very appropriate for us during this time of sickness and seclusion. Jesus, I trust in you!
I love you. God bless you!
Deacon Hector Raymond
