Dcn. Mike Miller and his wife, Kathy, are pictured after the diaconate ordinations at Christ the King Cathedral in Superior on Aug. 4. The Millers’ home parish is St. Theresa in Three Lakes. (Photo credit: Dan Swanson Photography)
Jenny Snarski
Catholic Herald Staff
Writer’s Note: This is the final response from the diocese’s newly ordained permanent deacons. Dcn. Mike Miller will serve the clustered parishes in Eagle River, Sugar Camp, Land O’ Lakes, Phelps and Three Lakes.
Q. What instruments and/or circumstances did God use to call you to the diaconate?
Dcn. Mike Miller: It was other people within the church. They started coming up to me, asking if I had ever considered it. Fr. Patrick (McConnell) overheard one of the them, and the rest is history, really. The process evolved over three to four years. I was almost too old to enter, so I had three months to make my mind up. Fortunately, I had a job that allowed me to pursue it (real estate and construction).
Q. What has been the most unexpected blessing or benefit from your formation?
A. I don’t know. This is still to be determined. I have made a lot of friends along the way that are tremendous support.
Q. What class or area of study has been the most enriching? The most challenging?
A. I had been a fallen-away Catholic, so it was all very, very challenging. Going back to school in your 50s is not that easy, especially when you don’t have a strong Catholic background. I returned to a Christian church after going through a divorce but met someone who was also divorced and Catholic. We were going to both churches, but after a preaching on the saints that contradicted our belief … I returned to the Catholic Church. This was about 15 years ago. She had been through an annulment, and I was in the process when I met her.
Q. How has your preparation for the diaconate, including its demands of time and attention, been a growth experience for your family?
A. My wife and adult son (he works with me) both had to agree it would be all right for me to go to school and pursue becoming a deacon. Without either one of their supports, I wouldn’t have been able to do it, to take off work. I had to have 100 percent of their support. They had to answer that same call from God, but in a different way. My son, who was not brought up in the faith, also married a Catholic woman. We have seen God’s beautiful plan unfold through all this.
