The Spiritual Journey of

Deacon Donald Ard

On Saturday, June 12, 2010, Bishop Robert Muench ordained Donald Ard, long-time parishioner of St. John’s, as a Permanent Deacon for the diocese of Baton Rouge.

According to the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), "A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came "to serve and not to be served." The entire Church is called by Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in a servant-Church."

For those of you who do not know Donald very well, here is a summary of his life’s journey:

- He enlisted in the Navy 1969, designated for submarine nuclear power program

- He married his wife, Jackie, Nov. 1983. 5 children--7 grandchildren (and lots of pets) between them!

- He and Jackie have served as hosts to 9 foreign exchange students throughout the years

Donald began active adult ministry in Virginia at Langley Air Force Base, in 1986. His ministry expanded to shipboard Catholic Lay Leader, which granted him the privilege of transporting the Blessed Sacrament to conduct Eucharistic Service while at sea. While in the military, Donald heard the call of God on a regular basis and was certain that he had much more to do for the Lord. He was first recommended for candidacy in the Diaconate in 1991 but formation was delayed due to relocation after retirement from the military.

Donald and Jackie moved to Zachary 1994, where the vocational calling continued but had to be placed on hold for a while. However, Donald remained actively involved in various liturgical ministries. He assisted with the RCIA and Renew programs, taught high school CCD for several years, and became involved with the St. John’s Men's Club and the parish chapter of the Knights of Columbus (through which he is now a member of the 4th degree), and annual retreats at Manresa. Throughout the years, Donald also assisted the late Father Matthew J. Faschan with weekly Mass at Oakwood Village Assisted Living Community, until Father Faschan’s death in 2009.

After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004, Donald had to, yet again, re-align his family and work priorities but, in the Fall of 2004, he enrolled in RSI, more seriously considering the diaconate. He began "formation" in the Fall of 2006.

Why try to juggle a career, a family and all of life’s other priorities to be a Deacon?

Donald responded to this question: "A lifetime of preparation and 5 years of dedicated study brings me to a new starting point, the beginning of a  "ministry of service" that I expect to be as rewarding and fulfilling as it is demanding, as I am sure it will be.  I am truly indebted to the parishioners of St. John the Baptist for their inspiration, encouragement, and continued prayerful support, especially while I struggled to keep up with studies through intense work schedules and personal illness.

Following his ordination on June 12, 2010, Bishop Robert Muench has assigned Donald to serve as Assistant Deacon at St. Isidore the Farmer Catholic Church in Brownsfield. In addition to his duties in that parish, Donald will also provide outreach ministry to inmates at Dixon Correctional Facility in Jackson, LA.

On behalf of the parish family at St. John’s, we would like to congratulate Donald on his accomplishment but, more importantly, for accepting the call of Our Lord to spread Our Lord’s Gospel message throughout the community at large. He exemplifies Our Lord’s call to evangelize and his dedication to his faith will assuredly pay off for many throughout the community at-large.