It’s my desire to make a positive difference

By Bob De Witt

Never having belonged to a parish with a permanent deacon assigned to ministry, Jim Shope wasn’t familiar with the diaconate but always had been open to the Lord’s call in his life.

He tried to live the values his parents had instilled: to serve the Church and the less fortunate. Those ideals were reinforced by his education at St. Therese of Lisieux School in Munhall, Bishop Boyle High School in Homestead and St. Vincent College in Latrobe.

“These are the faith communities where I learned about Jesus, received the sacraments, and lived and professed our Catholic faith,” he said.
“It is my desire to give back in some way to the Church of Pittsburgh, and hopefully make a positive difference through diaconal service.”

On June 13, 2020, Deacon Shope was one of eight men ordained as permanent deacons for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Effective July 1, he is assigned to the Ministry of Sacrament and the Ministry of Word at the parishes of St. Andrew, Center; St. Conrad/St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Meridian; and St. Michael the Archangel, St. Paul and St. Peter in Butler, and to the Ministry of Service and Charity in these parishes.
Deacons are ordained ministers with a special calling to perform works of charity and service, proclaim the word of God, and assist in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church. They coordinate their part-time ministry with job and family responsibilities.

In his professional life, Shope, 59, is an executive program manager for the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. He and his wife Carol have two adult daughters and a son-in-law.

Shope first learned about the permanent diaconate 15 years ago from a man who applied. That led him to inquire about the ministry.

“During the early stages of my discernment for the diaconate, I was blessed to have the pastoral support, guidance, encouragement and friendship of Father Jim Salberg, my pastor at Saint Andrew Parish near Butler, and his successor, Father Nick Argentieri, who nominated me for the program,” he said.

Attracted to the life and example of St. Francis of Assisi, Shope is looking forward to serving God’s people.

“Many people are hurting—there is a lot of pain out there,” he said. “I want to do what I can to bring peace to them.”
 
Click here to meet the other new deacons.