By Katherine Long
Sun associate editor

One day, Lucy Distin had to make a visit to the hospital. Her husband, Deacon Leslie Distin, always by her side, accompanied her. Just as they were getting into the elevator, someone saw Les. The deacon was told his services were needed urgently. Could he come quickly?

Les was torn. He wanted to stay with Lucy, but how could he not help someone who needed him?

“You go,” Lucy encouraged him. “I’ll be fine.” And so he went.

This story, told by Deacon Phillip Kehoe at a ceremony held Nov. 5 to honor the Distins and mark their retirement, is just one example of the couple’s selfless dedication to Les’ ministry.

“This team [for] 18 years has elevated and maintained the diaconate program,” said Deacon Kehoe at the ceremony. “Les and Lucy have touched lives through their dedication, professionalism and caring, their love, patience and self-sacrifice.”

Deacon Distin was ordained in 1990 and assigned to the diocese’s southern region. In 1993, he was asked to lead the diocese’s diaconate program. Several years ago, in light of changing requirements for deacon formation, Deacon Distin recommended that the deacon community would be best served by two distinct offices. Father Louis Aiello became director of the Office of Deacon Formation and Deacon Distin became director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate.

Over the years, Deacon Distin contributed to the ongoing spiritual, ministerial and academic growth of men pursuing and ordained to the diaconate, serving as a leader, mentor and friend. Many deacons and their wives were present at the ceremony.

by Connie Berry
Sun editor

From Oct. 9 to 21, I traveled to Kenya and Malawi with two other Catholic journalists, Patricia Zapor from Catholic News Service and Liz Quirin, editor of the Belleville Messenger. The trip was led by Jen Hardy and John Rivera, both in the communications department at Catholic Relief Services headquarters in Baltimore. Quirin lives in the same town as many members of my father’s family. How ironic that I would spend two weeks in Africa with a woman from Belleville, Ill. My aunts probably read Quirin’s Catholic newspaper much more often than The Catholic Sun. That was only the beginning of my “it’s a small world” experiences. The others occurred when I discovered Quirin had met our diocese’s Father Peter Major when she visited Sudan several years ago. Then later I would meet people at CRS in Malawi who know Peter Daino, also from the Syracuse Diocese.

Zapor and Quirin have both traveled extensively, writing stories involving the church all over the world. They were an enormous help in easing my anxiety surrounding everything from navigating airports to having sunscreen ready when I needed it. They were an incredible help to me and I am sure we will be friends for life. Among the three of us, we likely asked every question possible regarding culture, geography, and who was the most popular singer we heard on the radio. We shared everything from tiny packets of laundry detergent to each other’s water bottles before the trip was over. I’m not sure I could have made such a trip without their great support.

In upcoming issues, I will focus on various aspects of the trip. We traveled throughout Kenya and Malawi visiting CRS projects in the field and experiencing life there first-hand during our brief stay. I will try to report in chronological order and will include updates as I receive information.