We would like to introduce Deacon Ken Preiss. We are so excited to have him with us here at Catholic Charities of Shiawassee & Genesee Counties to provide counsel and healing to those seeking change in their lives. That his words provide you guidance and comfort.
Deacon Ken Preiss is just a normal guy. He lives in Fenton with his of wife of 31 years, Karen. His daughter Madeline is a Neonatal Nurse living in Texas and his youngest, Kate is a senior at Kettering University studying chemical engineering. Before becoming a deacon, he worked as a Project Manager at General Motors for 33 years.
What is a Deacon?
Pope Francis says “Deacons were created for service. The deacon is not a second-class priest. No, no, no, he is something else. The deacon is charged with service in the church.” While a deacon shares many of the responsibilities of a priest, he is not able to perform all sacramental duties. With a shortage of priests, the roll of a deacon is to reach out to people in need. Their lives are filled with performing the Works of Mercy, like visiting people in the hospital or in jail. Most importantly a deacon must have an open heart and listen.
When asked what made him decide to become a deacon, he answers frankly, “I didn’t. I was a youth minister at St. Pius X and Catechist. I wanted to be better at it so I called Lansing to see if there were any courses I could take.”
He began his journey getting a degree in Theology with a focus in Religious Education. “The class was a big commitment, so I made a deal with God that I would try it and if I didn’t like it I would quit. I went to the first class and was totally hooked”, he said. Everyone else in the class was doing their Deacon Formation studies and assumed he was as well, but he had no intention of getting ordained, it was just not on his radar.
After finishing his degree in Theology, he applied for a position as the full time Youth Minister at St. Pius X. Pastor, Fr. Robert Copeland, wouldn’t give him the job, claiming that Ken would soon become a deacon. He managed to dodge the calling until one day Fr. Copeland and Deacon Gary Gallagher cornered him after mass insisting that Ken call the director of the deacons in Lansing and just get started with the process of becoming a deacon. He found himself making the same deal with God. “I’ll try it but if I don’t like it I’m quitting.”
“I just went with the flow. If I’m supposed to be here I will and if I’m not I’m ok with that. I didn’t struggle, everything just all fell into place, which is of course how you know when you are doing the right thing,” he says. A few years later Ken retired from General Motors and planned to spend his time enjoying retirement, when he wasn’t tending to his duties as a deacon. But of course fate was not done with his journey.
Bishop Boyea was visiting for Confirmation at Holy Redeemer and told him someone from his office would be calling; the diocese was looking for a new Director for the Permanent Diaconate.
Ken has been a deacon at Holy Redeemer in Burton for 7 years, and worked for the Bishop for over three years. He truly has a servants heart and is looking forward to seeing where his new role at Catholic Charities leads.
Deacon Ken can be found at the Center for Hope in Flint, on Wednesdays and Fridays, 11am-3pm. He is the first chaplain to be assigned to any Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Lansing. The hope is that eventually all Catholic Charities in the Diocese will have a chaplain of their own. “I’m here to listen, not to judge. It starts with faith and meeting people where they are at,” he said, “ I want to help people see that God is in their lives, even in hard times.”