Finally DekeAtSea

March 2, 2012

I wasn’t just hired for my good looks. Okay, let’s be honest, I wasn’t hired for my good looks at all. And although the job is as a training and development manager and I have lots of experience in those departments that is also not the only reason that I was both hired and took the job. The additional benefit I bring is my ministry background. I’ve worked with people for years and my experience in the ministry of ‘being,’ as well as of ‘listening’ and ‘guiding’ gave me a distinct advantage over other talented candidates. When I began to think about this position, I definitely saw the ministerial aspects and believe that God dropped me into this place to serve in more profound ways than just teaching the same classes over and over, again. So, I look for ways to serve albeit unofficially in this capacity.

In addition, I’ve tried to arrange for ways to make it more official. On my very first cruise we were blessed by the presence of two priests, Fr. Chris and Fr. Mike, who were taking a vacation out of New Jersey. When I met them they agreed to offer a mass for the Crew in my Training Room before the cruise was over. It turns out that Fr. Mike was actually Msgr. Michael Andreamo, the Secretary to the Archbishop of Newark. I immediately took advantage of that convergence of necessity and opportunity to ask the Monsignor if it would be possible to be granted faculties to serve as a deacon onboard the ship that had a home port in their diocese. I felt that if there was not a priest on board that I would be able to arrange to receive the Blessed Sacrament to conduct Communion Services for guests and crew aboard Silhouette. However, the wheels of the Catholic Church move slowly and before this could be granted we entered the season of Lent, which, fortunately, brings a priest on every cruise through the auspices of the Apostolate of the Sea to Celebrity Cruise Lines. So, I set aside my desire to provide a missing service to simply enjoying the opportunity to celebrate Mass which had been lacking for four weeks.

But in the first week of Lent Fr. Mackey changed all that. Fr. Mackey is a seminary classmate of Fr. Don Dunn of the Diocese of Colorado Springs and we met on the first day of his cruise which coincided with Ash Wednesday. Father conducted a simple Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes that day, but then agreed to preside at two masses for the crew in his twelve day journey, in addition to saying daily masses for the guests. Fr. Mackey asked me a simple question two days before the first crew mass, “Would you like to serve as deacon at the crew masses?” My first response was a very quick “no.” There were two reasons for this answer. First, I did not have my vestments. Since I had been taught that one should respect the liturgy by being properly vested to serve at this profound intersection of heaven and earth, I didn’t want to unintentionally minimize the profundity of the liturgy. The second reason was more ship related. As an officer I am always ‘in charge’ and the crew follow directions and take orders. However, I felt that at mass I needed to intentionally level the playing field and not always be in a position of privilege and power over the crew. Let them take the roles of service: lector, music ministers, Eucharistic ministers, if needed, and let me be one of the congregation.

But just before the mass began I had a change of heart. I truly missed serving at the Lord’s Table. It is part of who I am to provide that service to a community. So, ten minutes before Mass I asked Fr. Mackey if I could serve as deacon even if I wasn’t properly vested. He agreed with a smile and I had the opportunity to serve my first Mass at sea. I felt it surprised the crew a bit as they learned something about me that they didn’t know and perhaps didn’t fully understand. But I understood the importance of the service I provided them.

I have now served three masses at sea. The last, with Fr. Blake from St. Thomas, VI, was maybe the most profound. Father, recognizing that the deacon is the eyes and ears of the Bishop with the people asked me to lead the Prayers of the Faithful. I truly don’t remember all the words, but I know that the depth and passion of the prayers I offered for these men and women with whom I work and live every day for months on end, for their needs and for their families, and for the passengers who sail with us, were some of the most deeply heart-borne prayers I have ever offered. At the end of the Mass of the Third Sunday of Lent I realized that I am now truly Deke At Sea, earning the title I claimed before this blog began.

And the adventure continues .  .  .