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Jubilarians | Archdiocesan deacons

Permanent deacons

25TH ANNIVERSARY

Deacon C. Allen Boedeker

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 66

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: St. Joan of Arc Grade School, St. Louis Preparatory Seminary South, Cardinal Glennon College, Kenrick Seminary, St. Meinrad School of Theology, Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts (preparing for ordination to the priesthood for the archdiocese in May 2023)

Family: Wife, Mary Ann (deceased); Children, David, Paul, Robert, Carolyn, Jennifer, Jacki, Chassity

Service in the archdiocese: Most Precious Blood, St. Louis, 1997-2001

St. Andrew, Lemay, 2001-20, the last nine years as parish administrator

St. Pius V, St. Louis, 2021-22

Secular Career: Faculty at St. Louis University High School, Director of Religious Education for the Jefferson County Board of Catholic Education in Madison, Indiana

About Deacon Boedeker: Deacon Boedeker has taught RCIA, PSR and VBS, made hospital, nursing home, jail and home visitations, advocated for marriage annulment cases, investigated paranormal activity for the Catholic Renewal Center, served the deaf community when assigned to St. Andrew Parish, and served the poor through parish St. Vincent de Paul Societies. Deacon Boedeker also has served on the committee of the Archdiocesan Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, been a mentor and teacher with the permanent diaconate program, taught at the Paul VI Institute for Catechetical Studies and Notre Dame Elementary School, and served as pastoral musician at Annunziata Parish and pastoral associate and director of religious education at St. Francis de Sales Parish. He was also active in the Boy Scouts of America and the Catholic Committee for Scouting, the Knights of Columbus and St. Elizabeth Academy school board. Deacon Boedeker is preparing for ordination to the priesthood for the archdiocese in May 2023.

Deacon Richard J. Boland

Birthplace: Port Hudson

Age: 85

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: Holy Family School in Port Hudson, St. Francis Borgia High School, U.S. Air Force

Family: Wife, Doris; Children, Michael, Lori, Kelly, Joseph, Jeanne

Service in the archdiocese: Our Lady of Lourdes, Washington, 1997-present

Secular career: Factory work at Sporlan Valve, then 35 years in the insurance business

Deacon Jerry McGuire

Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas

Age: 91

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: Boulder High School, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Missouri-Columbia

Family: Wife, Mary (deceased); Children, Deborah, Mary, Margaret and Michael

Service in the archdiocese: St. Blaise, Maryland Heights, 1997-99

St. Richard, Creve Coeur, 1999 until retirement in 2010

Secular career: Service in the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Public Health Service Reserve; Civil and environmental engineer

About Deacon McGuire: Deacon McGuire served as an advocate with the archdiocesan tribunal and for several years as a St. Louis Airport chaplain.

Deacon Gary Meyerkord

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 72

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: St. Jerome School, Rosary High School, St. Louis Community College

Family: Wife, Linda; two children

Service in the archdiocese: St. Joseph, Cottleville, 1997-2005

All Saints, St. Peters, 2005 until retirement in 2020

Secular career: Training and management development in the grocery industry

About Deacon Meyerkord: Deacon Meyerkord served on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, the Deacon Council, Deacon Personnel Board and as an advocate on the Metropolitan Marriage Tribunal. He also served as a chaplain at the Missouri Veterans Home in north St. Louis County.

Deacon Leonard Sisul

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Age: 75

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: St. Ann School in Lansing, Illinois; St. Sebastian School in Dellwood, Missouri; St. Vincent’s College High School in Perryville; Corpus Christi High School in Jennings; Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; Saint Louis University

Family: Wife, Rita; Children, Matthew and Laura

Service in the archdiocese: St. Norbert, Florissant, 1997-2004

Holy Redeemer, Webster Groves, 2004-10

St. Luke, Richmond Heights, 2010-12

St. George/St. John Paul II, Affton, 2012-present

Secular career: Hospital corpsman in the U.S. Coast Guard; medical and surgical assistant; speech/language pathologist; adjunct instructor at Saint Louis University

About Deacon Sisul: Deacon Sisul provided reflections and Benediction for many retreats and days of recollection, served as coordinator of religious education and RCIA, taught adult faith formation and PSR, assisted with young adult ministry at Epiphany Parish, and brought Communion to the homebound. He was a team member on five Holy Redeemer Parish missions to Haiti and served as chaplain for the Knights of Columbus and pastoral care associate at St. Mary’s Hospital. He also helped at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish soup kitchen and was a campus minister for the junior college district.

Deacon Michael Suden

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Age: 80

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: Canfield School, Louis Pasteur Junior High and Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Santa Monica City College, University of California-Los Angeles, Saint Louis University School of Dentistry, surgical residence through Columbia University

Family: Wife, Mary Elaine; Children, Alison, David and Gregory

Service in the archdiocese: St. Cecilia, St. Louis, 1997-2004

St. Bridget, Kildare, 2004-present

Secular career: Dentist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon

About Deacon Suden: Deacon Suden enjoyed teaching parish faith formation courses, leading Bible studies and visiting nursing homes. He also served in hospital ministry and ministry at veterans’ homes. Drawing on his professional dental expertise, Deacon Suden helped design the Rural Parish Clinic mobile dental clinic.

Deacon James Volansky

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 79

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School, St. Mary’s High School, Webster University, archdiocesan director of religious education certification

Family: Wife, Judith; Sons, James, Christopher and Mark

Service in the archdiocese: St. Gabriel the Archangel, St. Louis, 1997-present

Secular career: President of FoodService Center Inc.

About Deacon Volansky: Deacon Volansky led Stations of the Cross, brought Communion to the homebound and led the parish’s RCIA program. He also has served on the parish’s finance and liturgy committees and the parish council.

Deacon Lonnie Weishaar

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 76

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: Lindenwood University

Family: Wife, Colette; Sons, Aaron, Todd and Lonnie Jr.

Service in the archdiocese: Immaculate Heart of Mary, New Melle, 1997-2012

St. Robert Bellarmine, St. Charles, 2012-14

Immaculate Conception, Dardenne Prairie, 2014 until retirement in 2021

Secular career: Boeing, Congregation of the Mission

About Deacon Weishaar: Deacon Weishaar assisted with RCIA and served as an advocate for people seeking annulments. He also visited children in Mercy Hospital with his Scottish Terrier, Sadie, a trained therapy dog.

Deacon William (Bill) Weiss

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 73

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: St. Stephen Protomartyr School, St. Louis Prep Seminary South, Augustinian Academy, Quincy College (now University), University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T)

Family: Wife, Mary Ellen; Children, Kevin, Jessica and Kathryn

Service in the archdiocese: Mary Queen of Peace, Webster Groves, 1997-99

Little Flower, Richmond Heights, 1999-2010

St. Mary Magdalen, Brentwood, 2010-17

St. Mary Magdalen, St. Louis, 2017-present

Secular career: Sales representative and business owner

About Deacon Weiss: Deacon Weiss worked with many couples in marriage prep and served as an advocate for people seeking annulments. His greatest ministry was serving the elderly clergy residents at St. Agnes Home as a deacon for the private Masses the priest celebrated. He also enjoyed visiting with the homebound, and he served as scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts troop at Mary Queen of Peace Parish. Deacon Weiss and his wife now split their time between St. Louis and Florida, where he has faculties in the Diocese of Palm Beach.

Deacon Albert Williams

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 86

Ordination: June 7, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Rigali

Education: Cleveland High School, University of Missouri-Rolla, Missouri Air National Guard

Family: Wife, Mickey (deceased); Children, Peggy, Tim, John, Judy, Anne, Connie and Christine

Service in the archdiocese: St. Joseph, Clayton, 1997 until retirement in 2016

Secular career: Engineer/pump system consultant

About Deacon Williams: In addition to parish ministry, Deacon Williams served as part of the speakers’ bureau for Food for the Poor, traveling to churches around the country to speak about the organization and garner support.

40TH ANNIVERSARY

Deacon Frank Nesbitt

Birthplace: Front Royal, Virginia

Age: 81

Ordination: Jan. 23, 1982, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Archbishop John L. May

Education: University of Virginia, Saint Louis University

Family: Wife, Patricia; six children

Service in the archdiocese: St. Norbert, Florissant, 1982-93

Holy Angels, Kinloch, 1993-2002

Corpus Christi, Jennings, 2002-05

Holy Name of Jesus, Bissell Hills, 2005 until retirement in 2010

Secular career: Electrical engineering manager at McDonnell Douglas

About Deacon Nesbitt: Deacon Nesbitt was involved in leading RCIA programs and Bible studies and serving on parish committees. He also visited parishioners who were homebound and in hospitals and nursing homes.

45TH ANNIVERSARY

Deacon Ken Potzman

Birthplace: St. Louis

Age: 80

Ordination: January 29, 1977, at the Cathedral of Saint Louis by Cardinal John Carberry

Education: Holy Trinity in St. Ann, McBride High School, Washington University

Family: Wife, Barbara; Daughter, Pam

Service in the archdiocese: St. Christopher, Florissant, 1977-2005

St. Cletus, St. Charles, 2005-13

Secular career: Owned a construction business; sold the business to serve as a chaplain and then director of pastoral services at Mercy Hospital

About Deacon Potzman: Deacon Potzman was 35 years old at his ordination — the minimum age for a permanent deacon. He is the last surviving member of the first class of permanent deacons ordained in the archdiocese. Deacon Potzman’s main ministry was through his role in chaplaincy and pastoral service at Mercy Hospital. He also helped start a charismatic prayer group at St. Christopher Parish and was involved with the Catholic Renewal Center.

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