Deacon Steve Stemper

"I absolutely love being a Deacon."

After living in Nebraska, Kansas, and Cleveland, Ohio, Deacon Steve Stemper moved to Denver during his junior year in high school. After graduating from Colorado State University in 1980, he became a CPA. Steve married Cathy, a Michigan native, in 1983. Cathy went through RCIA and joined the Church in 1991. In May 1991, Steve and Cathy went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje (in what is now Bosnia). This was part of a major conversion he was experiencing then with one result being Steve feeling called to be a deacon. But first he says, "I needed to mature a lot in my faith and my relationship with Jesus Christ."

So it wasn't until 1996 that Steve entered the four year program to become a permanent deacon. The program was extremely challenging, mainly from the time commitment it required as he balanced its demands as well as those of his job and his family--Cathy and Steve have four children: Rachel, Lauren, Ian, and Jordan. "Surviving the diaconate program" would be how he puts it. He was ordained a permanent deacon on June 10, 2000.

The permanent deacons are called to serve Christ in the service of the Word, service of the Liturgy, and service of Charity. Steve says, "for me, daily Mass serves as the platform for all I do in my own calling to strive and live a life of holiness as well as attempt to serve others."

As a "married clergy" and as a father of four children, Steve focuses much of his attention on marriages and our youth.

Balancing his time continues to be his biggest challenge, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Steve continues with his "paying" job as he is unpaid for deacon time. He serves the Church with an average of 15 hours per week. "I absolutely love being a deacon. I love being able to share my faith with others. I love being able to, in my small way, serve Jesus Christ and His Church. And as with most things, the more you give, the more you receive. The blessings from being part of the wonderful people of St. Thomas More are countless. We have so much to be thankful for."