Answer Special Call to Serve - King's College

own faith. “When you encounter people, all with different
problems, who place their faith in Jesus and God, it bolsters my
own faith. It gives me great joy to help other people through the
Holy Spirit.”
Gene Kovatch began teaching at Meyers High School three
months after his graduation and retired in 1988 following
a 33-year career. A life-long member of St. Jude Parish in
Mountain Top, where he has served as a deacon since his
ordination, Kovatch admitted his call to serve was not “a bolt
out of the blue.” He was very active in parish life, including on
a diocesan level with the then emerging Cursillo movement
with another King’s graduate and eventual diaconate classmate,
John O’Connor ’62. He was very active in retreat work, first
for Catholic men, and later for youth, including some of his
students at Meyers.
“My work with retreats had a deep impact on my spiritual life,
akin to a second baptism, and my time as a deacon has been a
real high,” said Kovatch. “Receiving Holy Orders meant I had
received grace from all seven sacraments.”
O’Connor, like many of the other deacons, admits that he
could not have completed his diaconate studies if not for the
support of his wife. An attorney and life-long member of St.
Ignatius Parish in Kingston, O’Connor and his wife, Mary,
were active in the Cursillio movement as well as establishing
the Family Life Bureau. Mary was one of four wives to also
complete every diaconate class.
“Being a deacon is a lot like raising children,” O’Connor said
recently. “To do the best job, you have to get beyond yourself
and admit it’s all about the needs of the other person.” As the
only deacon in his parish, O’Connor is in charge of all aspects
of outreach activities. “Being a deacon has made me much
more aware of the presence of a loving God in my life and of
God’s presence in everyone I meet.”
Jim Atherton ’84, the only King’s graduate in the Scranton
Diocese’s third and most recent graduating diaconate class
was influenced by other deacon alumni. Atherton was one of
Kovatch’s students at Meyers and attended one of the youth
retreats that he espoused. That retreat and attendance at
Thursday evening prayer services at King’s eventually led to
Atherton converting from the Lutheran faith to Roman Catholic
before his marriage.
A fellow guidance counselor, Marie Donovan, wife of Joe,
spoke highly to Atherton of her husband’s experience. He also
received support from Joe DeVizia, a friend of his wife’s family.
“Whether your involvement in the Church is in a lay capacity
or as a deacon, you hope that the Holy Spirit is leading you,”
said Atherton recently.
Crosby Sparks ’64 is a permanent sub-deacon of the Eastern
Roman Catholic Church and is assigned to St. Anthony and St.
George Maronite Catholic Parish in Wilkes-Barre. A retired
teacher who spent 37 years at GAR High School, Sparks was
ordained in 2006. “Teaching was a 24/7 job, so, while I was very
active with my Church, I wasn’t able to commit to the necessary
study while still working,” Sparks said.
After completing his studies, Sparks, as the sole member of
the ordination class, was able to pick his special date. He chose
his 40th wedding anniversary. His ordination was also one of
the first events involving two merging parishes.
Deacon John O’Connor ’62 comforts a life-long parishioner of St.
Hedwig after the final Mass at the Church. St. Hedwig recently
merged with O’Connor’s parish, St. Ignatius. A lack of priests is
resulting in parishes being consolidated and also increasing the
importance and responsibilities of deacons at their assigned Church.
Several other King’s graduates left the Wyoming Valley
following graduation to establish careers and start families.
Three have answered the call to the diaconate.
Thomas Eagan ’70 moved to the Miami, Florida, area to
attend law school. He will celebrate the first anniversary of his
ordination in December. Still a practicing attorney, Eagan was
very active in parish life before a decision by a law partner to
become a priest influenced him to consider a higher level of
service. He had been previously asked to consider the diaconate,
but family and professional obligations made him defer to a
better time.
“As a King’s student, I was always impressed with the service
of the Holy Cross fathers,” said Eagan. “Beside their teaching
duties, many of them were in the dorms, interacting with the
students on a daily basis. Specifically, Father Ribando was a
friend and an inspiration.”
John Hanna ’64 will celebrate 25 years as a Deacon in the
Diocese of Wheeling Charleston, West Virginia, in 2010. John
was transferred to West Virginia by Union Carbide in the early
1970s and he and his family quickly became involved with their
parish, especially through music ministry.
Travelling requirements for his job actually provided Hanna
an opportunity. “The airplane became my study hall,” Hanna
said. “Since my ordination, I think God has been putting me
where I needed to be at the moment. A number of times,
I’ve been in an airport or airplane and other travelers struck
up a conversation with me. Several times, they’ve asked my
advice with regard to personal problems.” As a Deacon, Hanna
has been able to preside at the marriages of all of three of his
children and the baptisms of all six grandchildren.
Gary Pstrak ’77 is the most recent Deacon, being ordained
in May in the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Employed
by AT&T since graduation, Pstrak, a Wilkes-Barre native, has
moved to Florida and New Jersey for his job.
“Several years ago, I was at a stage in my life where I wanted
to do something more to serve God. Coincidentally, my parish
priest asked me if I was interested in becoming a Deacon. Four
years later, after long trips from the Jersey Shore to Trenton for
my classes, I was ordained. Part of faith is believing you get
placed in certain situations for a reason.”
8 Pride ✦ Fall 2009