In the first days of the Church, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles appointed seven men of good reputation to assist them in the daily ministry so that they might devote themselves more fully to prayer and preaching of the Word. By ordination, they entrusted these chosen men to serve at the table. These men we call deacons.
Over time the order of deacons was limited only to those men pursuing the priesthood, and the role of the deacon became a transitional role. On Sept. 29, 1964, the bishops at the Second Vatican Council approved restoring the Order of Deacons as a permanent Order.
Since then, St. Joseph Catholic Church has served by the following men: Deacon Rolando Salazar, Deacon Luis Trevino, Deacon Russell Duggins, Deacon Paul Matula, and Deacon Santos Jones.
These men and their families have sacrificed their time to serve us, the People of God, through teaching, preaching, celebrating baptisms, witnessing marriages, leading funeral rites, parish administration and countless acts of service and charity that often go unnoticed.
In memory of those deacons who have faithfully served St. Joseph Church and have gone to meet the Lord, the Knight of Columbus Council #1653 gives the Book of the Gospels to St. Joseph Church in memory of +Deacon Russell Duggins, + Deacon Rolando Salazar, and +Deacon Luis Trevino.
Knights of Columbus donated the Book of the Gospels to St. Joseph Church in Beeville. Brother Knights in the front row, from left, are Kenneth Taylor, Father Richard Gonzales, Deacon Santos Jones, Chancellor Sonny Diaz, and Treasurer Victor G. Salazar. In the middle row, from left, are Deputy Grand Knight Gary P. Besancon Jr., Rabb White, Hank A. Schoenherr, and Domingo Castillo. In the back row, from left, are District Deputy Lawrence V. Garcia, Carlos A. Guerrero, Joe Constante, John Zimmer, Darrell Hesseltine.