Profile: Deacon Bill Scholl — All Things Working for Good

Though we may not all describe ourselves as a convert, newly ordained Deacon Bill Scholl says the life of a Catholic is, in fact, one of continuous conversion. It’s a never-ending process of discovery and growth, as we work daily to become more Christlike in our thoughts, words and actions. Yet, every so often, God blesses us with what Deacon Bill calls “big moments,” designed to steer us on the right course.

“There is always some aspect of you that needs to be turned more towards God,” Deacon Bill says. “It’s a life of constant conversion. But there are still those big moments in life when you are turned away pretty completely from God and He needs to step in so you can have a 180.”

Deacon Bill experienced one of these big moments during his college years. Though raised in a Catholic family and privileged to have attended Catholic schools throughout his formative years, unfortunately, like many people raised during the ‘70s and ‘80s his catechetical background was wanting. So while, on paper, he appeared to have had a solid foundation, the reality was that Deacon Bill hadn’t received the fullness of truth.

“Consequently, when I graduated from high school I pretty much stopped practicing the faith entirely,” Deacon Bill says. “And when it came time to go to college, I felt that I had spent most of my life in Catholic institutions and I wanted something different. I went to the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash.”

There, Deacon Bill quickly became disillusioned by the relativistic ideology of the school. It led him to an interior dark place, feeling empty and alone. Fortunately, Deacon Bill had a friend who was attending a Catholic conservative institute — Thomas Aquinas College, or TAC. Though still far away from God and Catholicism, Deacon Bill was attracted to the school’s classical approach. He had discovered a love for the great books and philosophy and appreciated the fact that TAC welcomed intelligent disagreement — provided it was grounded in facts.

“I decided this is where I wanted to be, though I still didn’t want to be Catholic,” Deacon Bill says. “I thought I was going to be one of the few people who managed to graduate from the program without being Catholic. But then following some profound disappointments in my life, I ended up at a midnight Mass, talking to God about this tremendous sense of emptiness inside of me. What I heard God say was, ‘Don’t you realize that I’m the only One Who is going to fill that great void you are feeling? Don’t you feel it’s strange that you are in this very Catholic college and are talking to me during a Mass?’ That’s when I broke down crying and said, ‘okay, God, I hear You.’ I grabbed a priest and asked him to hear my confession. That was a powerful moment for me.”

On fire with his faith, Deacon Bill returned to school with new enthusiasm. He began immersing himself in the teachings of the Church and seriously discerning a vocation to the religious life. And though he ultimately concluded that God was not calling him to the priesthood, this time in his life helped him draw closer to the Lord in ways that still guide and impact him today.

“I think every young person — especially any young man who loves his faith — should spend some time praying about and being open to the priesthood or religious life,” Deacon Bill says. “You are only going to benefit from the experience.”

After graduating from TAC, Deacon Bill took some time discerning and figuring out his career path. He ended up working with United Way AmeriCorps. There, he met his wife Bethanne and developed a passion for helping the poor and less fortunate. He would subsequently move on to work for a Methodist social service agency called Cross-Lines Community Outreach, Catholic Charities and, finally, his current position at the Office for Social Justice for the Archdiocese of Kansas City.

Shortly after beginning his work at the archdiocese, Deacon Bill says he began contemplating thoughts about the permanent diaconate. However, as the father of seven children, it was just too much for him at the time. Nevertheless, the desire remained, leading him to eventually join the program so as to better discern.

“When it comes to discerning a vocation, a lot of guys get really intimidated because they think they need to know that they are going to be a deacon or a priest,” Deacon Bill says. “All you are doing, though, is opening up yourself to that possibility. I felt really called to discern. I loved the job I was doing and I really felt the Church would be better served with a clergy person doing it.”

Over time, God made the calling clear, resulting in Deacon Bill’s ordination on June 20. In addition to his work at the archdiocese, Deacon Bill looks forward to making Christ incarnate to His people here at Queen of the Holy Rosary.

“The role of the deacon is to be out in the community, becoming that visible sign of God’s love,” Deacon Bill says. “I’m excited to get to know the parishioners better and to assist with liturgies. Father is having me help out with Baptisms, too, and I’m thrilled about that because, as the father of seven, I’ve been on the receiving side. So to be able to share those experiences with others on behalf of the Church is really special.”

Looking back on the entire journey thus far, Deacon Bill says it can all be summed up by one of his favorite Bible verses — “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).