My family moved to Hixson and joined the then very young, St. Jude Parish in 1964. I was two years old. Attending Mass in the school gym as a child, I thought it was completely normal to have a basketball goal in a church.

I met my wife, Donna (Bland), in the St. Jude’s singles group in 1984. Donna’s family are charter members of St. Jude. She was carried to Mass when it was celebrated above the Red Bank Pharmacy. We were married here by Fr. Phillip Breen and Fr. Al Humbrecht in 1985. Our first daughter (Laura) was baptized here in 1987. Our second daughter (Karen) was baptized here in 1988, and now our granddaughter (Mary) was baptized here in 2006.

While I have always had a love of God and have rarely missed attending Mass, as I look back now I feel I could have really been described as a “pew warmer”. I really did not know Catholicism. I was not in love with the Catholic Faith. My getting to know the beauty of the Faith and appreciating why we believed what we believed came about by others asking me about the Faith. It seemed many of my acquaintances and coworkers had misconceptions of Catholicism which resulted in them having negative impressions of the Church. I was often asked questions about the faith, questions I thought were good and I too wanted to know the answers. As I found the answers to these questions, not only did I grow in understanding, but I also grew stronger in faith and I grew in love with the Catholic Church. I found I wanted to share this new enthusiasm for the Church with other Catholics so that they might be able to answer questions they might receive about Catholicism and I hoped they would grow in love and appreciation of the beauty of the Faith. I began to teach classes within the parish in the evenings on Scripture and basic Catholic apologetics. Additionally, my wife and I began to joyfully participate in parish activities and various ministries.

Fr. John O’Neill mentioned to me the ministry or role of the deacon in the Catholic Church. I had never really heard about deacons in the Church until then. Fr. John said he would pray that I might have the opportunity to become a deacon. Soon afterward, the diocese decided to form the first diaconate formation class. Fr. Bob Hofstetter encouraged me and wrote the Bishop a letter of introduction. Five years later I was ordained.

It is such a joy, a pleasure and blessing to serve the people of St. Jude in this capacity. As I have mentioned, St. Jude is a big- a very big part of my life. I love this parish, I love our Catholic Faith, and I love God. I enjoy serving, helping and teaching others. Serving as a deacon here at St. Jude feels so very right.

I pray, and ask all of you to pray for me, that I will serve God and His Church faithfully and that God will use my words and actions to draw others unto Himself.

May God bless you!

Deacon Brian Gabor .