7

OCTOBER 2019 9 Seminarian Burses For more information on donating to seminarian burses or the support of educating men in formation for the priesthood for our diocese, contact Fr. Jerry Daigle at 318-868-4441, or jdaigle@dioshpt.org. Thanks to Our Recent Donors (014) Alfred & Susan Ozenne ($3050) (015) P. E. Carney ($100) (018) Deacon Charles & Nadalie Thomas ($50)

Completed Burses (001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse #1 ($10,000) (006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #1 ($10,000) (010) Memory of Rita Scott from the John Scott Family ($10,000) (011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #1 ($10,000) (012) Jack E. Caplis, Jr., Memorial Burse ($10,000) (013) Mary Evans Caplis Burse ($10,000) (014) Alfred & Susan Ozenne ($10,000) Incomplete Burses (001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse #2 ($1,100) (002) Joseph & Antoinette Bakowski Memorial Burse ($2,500) (003) Sam R. Maranto Memorial Burse ($1,400) (004) Kathryn Atherton Cook Memorial Burse ($350) (005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans ($450) (006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #2 ($3,082.12) (007) Dr. Carol Christopher Memorial Burse ($1,300) (008) St. Jude Parish ($5,718) (009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council 10728 ($550) (011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #2 ($2,104) (014) Bob & Peggy Semmes Memorial Burse ($6,500) (015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($360) (016) Elaine Malloy Frantz Memorial Burse ($1,000) (017) Msgr. George Martinez Knights of Columbus Council 1337 ($7,521) (018) Knights of St. Peter Claver Council 144 ($850) (019) Margaret Glenn Memorial Burse ($1,250) D eacon Clary Nash, who has served our diocese as the Director of our Permanent Diaconate Program for over two decades, is finally pursuing “quasi” retirement from his very active role in the life of our diocesan faith community. His commitment and dedication to our diaconate program over the years has been outstanding, and produced much fruit in the way of ordained Permanent Deacons in ministry throughout our diocese.

A native of Janesville, Wisconsin, Deacon Clary Nash, his wife, Mary, and sons, Michael and Bryan, came to Shreveport by way of his employment with General Motors in August of 1980. While still in Wisconsin, Clary learned of a new GM facility opening in Shreveport and felt a tug at his heart from the Lord to put in for the position. When Clary’s boss approached him to take the Louisiana job, he accept ed immediately without even knowing what his salary and benefits were. Quite an answer from one who had spent most of his life as an aggressive atheist and had only recently returned to the Church and was truly ready to trust the Holy Spirit. “I just said ‘Here I am, Lord!’ comments Deacon Clary. The next step was His, and I was prepared to follow.” At that time, St. Mary of the Pines Parish was the worship location of choice for those employed at the GM Plant in South Shreveport and this is precisely the church where the Nash family found themselves upon their arrival in Shreveport.

St. Mary’s Pastor ,Fr. Bob Inzina, had a profound impact on Deacon Clary’s spiritual life and he credits Fr. Bob with his call to the Diaconate. Accepted into the very first Diaconate Formation Program for the then Diocese of Alexandria/Shreve port, Deacon Clary completed his training with eleven other men and was ordained just prior to the establishment of the Diocese of Shreveport in 1986. Following his ordination to the diaconate,he took a new assignment at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans in to assist Msgr. Earl V. Provenza, V. F.

When Bishop William B. Friend asked Deacon Clary to assume the newly created role of Diaconate Program Director his reply was the same as when he felt called by God to come to Louisiana; “Here I am Lord” was his answer to Bishop Friend’s question. It was not long before the Diocese of Shreveport had enough interested men to form its own program and in 2001, a first cohort of diaconate candidates for the Diocese of Shreveport began their formation and studies. May of 2005 saw eighteen new Deacons ordained at our Cathedral for service to our faith community. “That was a high point,” comments Deacon Clary. “To see my very first group of guys with their spouses enter into a new chapter of ministry to God’s people was very special to me.”

In 33 years of active ministry as a Deacon, it is the simple things of community gatherings and worship that truly motivate Deacon Clary. “I just love greeting people!” gushes Deacon Clary. “I don’t want anyone to leave an hour of Catholic worship feeling like a stranger. With more time on my hands I can devote myself more fully to the needs of Sacred Heart’s worship community as I already do most everything from roof repair to mowing the lawn,” comments Deacon Clary. “Now I just may have the time to get involved in more things at the parish level.” Thank you Mary, Michael and Bryan Nash, for the gift of your husband and father to the Church! And many thanks to Deacon Clary Nash for making our little Catholic corner of the world a better place! 33 Years Later... Deacon Clary Nash to Retire as Director of Permanent Diaconate By John Mark Willcox