The Deacon

Deacon Dominick Pastore’s pro-life convictions began “not too long after Roe v. Wade,” when he was a freshman in college.

“At that time, I wasn’t pro-life,” recalls Deacon Pastore. “I wasn’t pro-choice. I never really gave it much thought.” His roommate, however, was a very committed Catholic who was also pro-life.

A few days before an English paper was due, Deacon Pastore was complaining to this roommate that he “had no idea what to write.”

“The task was to write a paper to convince someone of a position,” remembers Deacon Pastore. “It was an assignment to see how well you could put an argument together.”

His roommate proposed an idea. He said, “I have some pro-life literature which could maybe help you,” recounts Deacon Pastore. “At that point, I was just desperate to write anything. I didn’t care what it was about. I started reading this information, and I was blown away.”

The then 18-year-old Pastore was awed by the “amazing facts” about the development of the unborn baby, such as the early presence of a heartbeat. “It just blew me away and changed my mind,” he says.

However, Deacon Pastore only became involved in pro-life activities once his faith commitment increased. It was not “really until I had a reversion back to my Catholic faith” that “I put this in high gear,” he said. “That’s when I began to really see the importance of the pro-life message and how it affects, really, everything.”

He began praying outside of abortion facilities and engaging in sidewalk counseling. This continued after his ordination to the diaconate in 2012. Having encountered post-abortive women and men from the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, Deacon Pastore was moved by their stories, as well as the trauma and pain that they went through. He became even more convicted and grew in his desire to do more for them.

“It really put a greater emphasis in my heart to do something more with pro-life as a deacon,” he says.

Deacons for Life

Joining Deacons for Life, an outreach of Priests for Life, provided an avenue for this desire. “The whole organization has tremendous resources for us,” says Deacon Pastore. According to its website, Deacons for Life aims to encourage and assist deacons in living out their pro-life identity through providing information, resources and networking.

While Deacon Pastore has been aided by incorporating the ideas and techniques that other deacons have shared through the organization, what he most appreciates about the ministry is the sense of community it provides.

“What helps me with Deacons for Life is to know that when I’m out there, I’m supported; I have the support of fellow deacons,” he says. “Knowing that you’re not alone is extremely helpful.”

Finding Solidarity

The deacon at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, acknowledges that, at times, pro-life ministry can be very discouraging and similar to fighting an uphill battle. However, he has found great strength in the fellowship and solidarity within Deacons for Life.

“It can be very deflating, but knowing that there’s this group, Deacons for Life, and there are these men who are doing the same thing, it gives me a lot of support and a lot of encouragement to keep going,” he says.

Citing the unique places that a deacon traverses, such as the workplace and supermarket, Deacon Pastore sees a particularly unique calling of deacons in regard to the pro-life movement. He notes that this is, in part, because there are “places where married men can have access that priests and others don’t necessarily have.”

As deacons, we have one foot on the altar and one foot in the world, says the married man of 38 years. “I think we’re in a great position to be able to spread the pro-life message in a way that, maybe, priests can’t.”

Deacon Pastore also perceives that the identity of the deacon as a servant, as the Greek origin of the word implies, is also key to a deacon’s pro-life character. “Even the word means ‘service,’” he says. “The diaconate means service.”

Fuels Service

As a deacon “I’m called to have a respect for life because it’s created by God, and that is what fuels, then, all my service,” he says.

Deacon Pastore suggests that a pro-life disposition — which starts with concern for the most vulnerable in society — is foundational to any other ministry. As a result, he proposes that respect for life for those in the womb then grows into service of the poor, the elderly, as well as those who are in hospitals and hospice care. “I think you have to have that pro-life heart to be able to serve anybody,” he says.

Scriptures Lead the Way

Another concrete way that Deacon Pastore sees deacons witnessing to life is through their very presence as clergy and their preaching.

Though he doesn’t know very many priests who don’t preach on life issues, he does acknowledge that “often you hear, ‘Oh, my pastor never talks about pro-life, my pastor never talks about the abortion issue,’ or things like that.”

Asked if he preaches about this issue, Deacon Pastore has no hesitation. “Oh, yes,” he states. “Every opportunity I get.” He finds that preaching a pro-life message is, in a sense, easy. He explains that this is because it’s foundational and grounded in the truth. “To me, it’s so clear, and it’s so obvious, and it’s so at the heart of who we are as Christians.”

Even so, Deacon Pastore distinguishes between the process of composing an effective homily on the topic — which can be challenging — and delivering the message itself.

“It may not be easy to craft a good message,” he admits. However, he never worries about people being upset with him about the potentially “hard message” he delivers. “It’s the farthest thing from my mind,” he says.

Deacon Pastore notes that he doesn’t shy away from preaching strong pro-life messages when the liturgical readings lend themselves to that, or when something is going on in the world that would necessitate it. This is something he welcomes. Nonetheless, he stresses that it’s important “not to force a message that you want to give into the Scriptures.” Instead, one must “let the Scriptures speak.” He adds, “When I preach I always let the Scriptures lead the way.”

So many Catholics, unfortunately, are pro-choice that I think it’s important to pick your opportunities to talk about pro-life issues, he adds.

In terms of what he’d like to convey to his fellow deacons, Deacon Pastore has words of encouragement: “Don’t be afraid to preach the pro-life message, because it’s one that we all need to hear. It’s about a respect for life in a way that permeates every single aspect of society.”

If we’re going to get this world back to God, it’s got to start with a greater respect for life and a greater witness for that respect, he continues. “And that can start by having that become a greater part of your diaconate ministry.”

Nicole Snook writes from Eastern Canada.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

About Deacons for Life

The Deacons for Life website notes that the organization “seeks to (1) unite, encourage, and provide ongoing training to deacons to be as effective as possible in ending abortion, the preeminent moral tragedy of our day; (2) instill a sense of urgency in all clergy to teach, preach and mobilize their people to help stop abortion; (3) assist clergy and laity to work together productively to protect the unborn.

“Deacons for Life will create resources specifically for deacons, and will also utilize the resources and information of prayer, preaching and action items that are prepared by Priests for Life.”

For additional information, visit deaconsforlife.org.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………