When Deacon Robert Craven attended a diocesan men’s conference at Saint John’s Abbey, he was asked to pick a breakout session. When his first choice was unavailable, he felt the Holy Spirit at work.
“I wound up in a room about the diaconate,” Deacon Craven said. “I came home with the seed planted, and after researching it more and reflecting upon it with my wife, Heather, I began to move forward with the application process.”
As the owner of Northside Welding in Sauk Rapids and father to a young family of five, Roger, 10th grade, Anya, 7th grade, Simon 5th grade, Maria, 4th grade, and Gianna, kindergarten, Deacon Craven was unsure how the required coursework for the diaconate and obtaining a master of arts degree from Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary would fit into his already busy life.
“When Heather and I were first looking at it, it seemed impossible to fit into the mix,” he said. “But the class schedule and pace make it possible to form men to the highest standards without undue time away from work or family.”
He is grateful to his wife for supporting him throughout his formation.
“Heather has been an amazing companion on the journey and my biggest encouragement throughout the whole process,” he said.
This integration of faith and family is very important to Deacon Craven. As a youth at St. Augustine Parish in St. Cloud, he was involved as an altar server at Mass, sang in the children’s choir and took on the role as catechist after confirmation. Now, still a member of St. Augustine, each member of his family contributes their talents to the parish as well.
“There was one Sunday Mass last year where almost the entire family was involved in the liturgy,” Deacon Craven said. “I read from the ambo, Heather and Anya were cantors and Roger, Simon and Maria were serving.”
The Craven family often decroates the church for the different liturgical seasons.
“Heather is both passionate about and gifted in making our liturgical environment beautiful,” he said. “The whole family helps, along with many hands from the parish, and decorating for Christmas and Easter is always a joy.”
Through witnessing how the family serves his parish, he is reminded how the relationship between himself, his wife and God has come to manifest in his family life, a life for which he is grateful.
Now, Deacon Craven looks forward to participating in his parish in a new way as a deacon. He anticipates proclaiming and preaching the Gospel and focusing on service.
“The word ‘deacon’ literally means ‘servant,’ and I look forward to serving at the altar, serving the parish and the surrounding community,” he said. “I want to be a bridge between the world and the Church.”