Meet transitional deacon candidate William Mumphrey

May 7, 2020

Twelve men will be ordained May 16 as transitional deacons, six for New Orleans

On May 16, 12 men will be ordained as transitional deacons – the final step before ordination to the priesthood next year – at a 10 a.m. Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond at St. Louis Cathedral. Six of the transitional deacons will be ordained for the Archdiocese of New Orleans; the remaining six will be ordained for other dioceses in the U.S. and Africa. The Clarion Herald asked the diaconate candidates for the Archdiocese of New Orleans to reflect on their service, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. They also were asked to reflect on the reasons they selected the person who will vest them with their deacon’s dalmatic during the Ordination Mass. The Mass will be broadcast live on WLAE-TV and live-streamed at nolacatholic.org.

William P. Mumphrey

Age: 58
Home parish: Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, St. Amant, Louisiana
Diaconate internship: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Slidell

Who will vest you and why did you select him?

I have chosen the well-respected Deacon Larry Oney to vest me. Not only has Deacon Larry been a trustworthy friend to me for over 25 years, he has also been a companion to my late mother and an associate to some family members. He and I have served in ministries and have interceded for one another’s spiritual growth. Together, he and his wife have been an inspiration in their witness to Christ and have been a source of consolation in my life.

Deacon Larry takes his ministry seriously and knows that God’s Word is effective and sharper than any two-edged sword. I thank God that Deacon Larry receives the Word as it truly is, the person of Christ, who is indeed at work in all of us who believe. I regard Deacon Larry as a true servant of Christ and a humble steward of the mysteries of God.

What has your seminary discernment been like?

Discernment at the seminary has been a time of great growth. I was challenged in new ways. It is like the military of the mind for someone going to war for God. It was about submitting myself to God, learning how to resist temptation and getting along with others. There was a lot of reading, meditating and setting my mind on the things of God and his church. It has helped me stay alert and stand firm in my faith (discernment), which is only possible through praying the liturgy, Scripture study and spending time with the Lord.

How challenging have the last two months been since the seminary went into lockdown? Do you have any thoughts about how the world may have changed?

The biggest challenge of the lockdown was trying to keep my mind on the papers for school. I did not know what kind of problems this COVID-19 virus was going to cause the world, so I was very concerned with that for awhile. This is when our training really paid off. We all stuck to prayer and fasting – with a little more prayer and communal life. We kept our minds on the needs of others.

We offer our Mass every day to help in this invisible attack. The seminarians are fighting this enemy with the sacrifice of Jesus. I would think that most people are praying and waiting patiently. I suppose it is something like a storm, where everyone just doesn’t go anywhere for awhile, and they stay home to keep safe. I know there is a lot more fear because of the unknown, so I pray for the people who are afraid, sick and for those who have lost their loved ones. I believe with the grace of God, life will get better when all this is over.

What are you most looking forward to in your ministry as a deacon, knowing there still may be some restrictions on the size of the parish congregation for weeks or months?

I am looking forward to serving the people of God and assisting the priest at the celebration of the Mass. It will be an honor to serve at the altar and proclaim the Gospel from the ambo. I am excited to further the formation offered by the church. With humility, I will execute the ministry of announcing the prayers, distributing Communion and preaching the homily. My greatest hope is that the people see and hear Christ when I participate in his mysteries.