DEACON MICHAEL

Terry and I attended a very special celebration today. No, it wasn’t a wedding but it did begin with a beautiful church service followed by a gala reception at Le Parc attended by over 200 people.

The focal point of the event was the first Mass of Thanksgiving with newly ordained deacon Michael Gennaro, a high school friend from my days at Brebeuf.

Along with Michael and his wife Marie were their four children, their nine grandchildren, Michael's siblings and a host of people who are lucky enough to part of the Gennaro's circle of friends, a circle whose radius keeps increasing exponentially. In addition, five priests concelebrated the Mass with Michael’s brother-in-law Father Len Attilia S.J.

This story is about faith, perseverance and courage. You see, Michael is legally blind.

Despite his handicap, Michael successfully ran a sports memorabilia and collectables store for years at the Towne and Country Square in Willowdale. His business peaked in the early nineties at the time of back to back Blue Jays World Series wins and strong appearances by the Leafs in the NHL playoffs. Heck, even the Argos won the Grey Cup in 1991. However, the business could not survive the downturn in the fortunes of Toronto sports franchises after those heady years.

He was forced into an early retirement, a turnabout that would leave a lesser man bitter and cynical.

Though he and Marie went through some difficult financial times thereafter, Michael’s faith kept reminding him that his wife and family still made him the richest man alive.

Although his vision is limited, his hearing certainly is not. In 2008, Michael answered the call to the diaconate, the call to serve others. It was a tremendous struggle for him to keep up with the demands of weekly reading assignments and frequent essays but with the help of God and the support of an amazing family, Michael now proudly wears the red and gold vestments of the permanent diaconate. In his first homily at the Mass of Thanksgiving, he talked about using our gifts for the good of others. He reminded me that it’s so easy to get distracted by sounds and fury that signify nothing; it’s so easy to see the accident but be blind to the suffering; it’s so easy to want to be a verb and not an adverb.

Michael will make a great deacon for our parish. He closed his thank you speech at the reception with a quote by John Cardinal O’Connor that aptly sums up his inspirational approach to life;

“God wants to reach out to others through your hands. He wants to speak to others through your lips, and God wants to look into your eyes and see Him…. Give God Permission.”

May God bless you Michael in your new vocation!