My Dear Friends,

It was a long and hard struggle for me to decide to become a Deacon. In finally doing so I pledged to serve the church wholeheartedly. Half way through the 4 -year training period I learned that I have a progressive and irreversible brain disease called Frontal temporal Dementia.

Our Bishop, Marcel Gervais was extremely compassionate, telling me that even if I only had one year to serve after ordination, that he would still ordain me. And so we carried on.

For a long time I didn’t have many symptoms and sometimes we even wondered if the diagnosis was wrong. But gradually the condition has progressed as you have probably noticed. From the beginning Mary has supported me in living out my ministry of service to the street people and here at Holy Cross.

With my illness I have lost much of my judgment and ability to regulate most areas of my life. I have come to call Mary my “loving regulator”. She tells me how much marmalade and chocolate cake I can have and more and more looks after all areas of my life. I have chosen to trust her and give her authority in my life. I believe that I receive God’s love through her.

My “loving regulator” now tells me that it is time to change my ministry and minimize my preaching. It is difficult for me to understand why, but I am choosing to accept her guidance. Mary also wants to claim my remaining energy for my first and most important vocation, which is our marriage. And so, in trusting Mary with my life now, this month will likely be my last time to preach. I hope I can continue to serve in the parish in other ways as I am able and I know Mary will help me.

Mary and I want you to accept our thanks and appreciation for your support as I have tried to live out my sacrament of ordination.

Thank you Father James! You have loved me just for who I am. I would also like to thank all those who have helped me in so many ways over the years. Special thanks to the Knights of Columbus who have moved me through the degrees while I could still participate.

I would specially like to thank Deacon John Kennedy, our long time friend, who now stays by my side all day Wednesdays so that I can still serve in street ministry.

As well, we want to acknowledge the support of our small Christian community, with whom we have shared God’s word and our lives, each week over the past 6 years.

As I close, Mary and I would like to invite you all to a celebration of my life. God willing it will be held here in the parish after Easter and there will be lots of singing and giving thank to Jesus for all he’s done for me. I would even like to sing my signature song “Jesus Freak”! Mary wonders about that!

Even though I have an illness, which will likely bring me to meet Jesus sooner than I expected, we feel richly blessed. We are blessed; not only by the life we have had, but also by the life we are living now.
The good thing about my illness is that it gets me to call out to the Jesus all the time. We have learned through experience that it is really true that the Lord is near to those who call on His name.

Meanwhile we ask for your continued prayers it will be a comfort to us to know that you are praying for us. And remember, no matter what lies ahead I will always be praying for you.

May God Bless you!
Deacon Bruce & Mary