Get to know: Deacon Greg Jelinek

Deacon Gregory Jelinek

Ordination date: June 26, 1999

Parish assignments: Most Holy Name of Jesus, Troy Hill, and St. Aloysius, Reserve Township
Employment: Teacher at Central Catholic High School
Ministry: Parish-based ministry for liturgical service and service and charity
Family: Married; one son
 

What initially attracted you to the diaconate?

The desire to serve God by serving the people of God. The late Fr. David Schorr was one of those who suggested to me that I apply. Aside from my wife and family and some others in the parish, Fr. Dave was very influential in my deciding to pursue the diaconate. I’d also seen it published in the media at the time and felt called to the vocation. 
 

What stands out for you as a highlight of your ministry?

Highlights for me include leading the community of prayer at St. Anthony Chapel, which is part of Most Holy Name Parish, and seeing the inspirational faith of those who come to the chapel. When a homily I preach moves the heart of a listener—that’s another highlight. It’s also being present to those in need through charity and justice activities at the parish, such as visiting the homebound and being involved with special education programs.
 

What motivates you to a ministry of service?

What motivates me is knowing that what I do or fail to do for another person, I do or fail to do for Christ. I’d already been involved in my parish, but that activity takes on a new dimension with the diaconate. Whether it’s being active with the St. Vincent DePaul Society or teaching RCIA, you’re aware of the grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
 

What is your favorite part of being a deacon? Why?

A favorite part of my diaconal ministry is presiding at baptisms and weddings, especially those of former students and their children. Another is advocating for the poor and marginalized by being with them and for them in various ministries. It can really have an impact on the parish and the larger community, such as working with the local food bank or the St. Vincent DePaul Society. There’s so much more we can be doing.
 

How does someone know if he has a vocation to become a deacon?

Pray regularly and consistently. Ask God to let you glimpse his plan for you—whether or not he wants you to serve him as a deacon; either way, finding that plan that will make you happy.
 

What advice do you have for someone who might be considering the diaconate?

Again, pray. Talk to the people you love and trust. Get to know a deacon or two and let them tell you what it’s like. Get involved in parish life in general.
 

How has your ministry enhanced your spiritual life—your personal relationship with Jesus?

I receive the love of Jesus through the people I teach or help in any way. It’s important to dialogue with others, to discern the needs of the community and how we can best serve those in need. When I preside at the regular Tuesday Novena at St. Anthony Chapel, that’s a very spiritual experience for me. I have a devotion to St. Anthony that inspires me to look for great meaning in my relationship with Christ.
 

In what ways has your personal or professional life been enhanced by being a deacon? What effect has it had on your family life?

Since I currently teach at a Catholic high school, my students can see what it’s like to be a husband, a dad, and an ordained Catholic minister. It has made me love and appreciate my wife and son even more—although it can be a challenge to keep life in balance. As a religion teacher, it also gives me a chance to witness to the diaconate and, ultimately, the priesthood for those students who may be discerning a religious vocation. Hopefully, it helps them to see what God means to them and how they are called.
 

What saint do you look to for inspiration? Why?

I look to St. Thomas Aquinas for in his intellectual brilliance, his tireless quest for truth, and his emphasis on the essential compatibility of faith and reason.
 

What excites you most about being On Mission for the Church Alive?

The courage and audacity of what is being done to assure a lively and solid future for living the faith in our diocese is what excites me most about the On Mission initiative. With only about a third of Catholics regularly attending Mass on Sunday, it can also be an opportunity to reach those who are unchurched.
 

Anything else you’d like to add?

I have learned to trust God in all things, who can do great things through his most unlikely servants.
 
For more information about diaconal ministry and the diocesan Deacon Formation Program: deacons@diopitt.org or 412-456-3124.