Subdeacon Kyle Hayes: “God Is Full of Surprises”

When did you first begin to recognize a call to serve the Church as a deacon? Was it something sudden or a gradual journey?

     Serving within parish life has been a calling for most of my life. First, it was a call to be a pastor within the church of my upbringing (as a Lutheran)- a call that became clear as I was about 12 years old. It was a calling both "internal and external"- I sensed the pull within myself, but also was affirmed in the calling throughout by many. This was a call pursued from then on- through seminary to ordination as a Lutheran pastor to serving churches for about five years. The move away from the Lutheran Church was gradual, though. One by one the "bricks" fell into place, and I realized that I did not align theologically with the Lutheran Church any longer. I realized that I was indeed Catholic and also drawn distinctly to Eastern Christianity. The call to serve the Church was still there, but needed to be set aside while I discerned and learned. 10 years ago today as I write this, I was received into the UGCC. As I learned and grew into this, the draw to the diaconate grew. This was not a role that grew up with in the Protestant world, and so it was all new to me- a truly beautiful calling to serve, to teach, to share the Gospel and the Love of Christ- all passions of mine. It became clear that God was leading me there.

What led you to become an Eastern Catholic?

     In short: unity with the Pope of Rome, beauty, mystery, love of the Theotokos, Eucharist for the whole Body of Christ including infants, and more beauty. I am grateful that I am home. I have more stories, but they are best told in person!

What role did your parish and family play in your vocation?

     I am thankful for their prayers, their patience, and their encouragement. It has been a long road, but one with support throughout. As a young parish, having recently celebrated 10 years since inception, and with no priest permanently assigned locally, we all have had to simply jump in to make everything happen. We lean on one another in a special way. This is the same tight-knit community that lifts me up now. My wife and my children have continually been there for me (and have been patient with me, too!) as I have prepared for the diaconate. I love them all and knowing that the love and support from them will continue sustains me daily!

Was there someone in your life who especially inspired or supported you in this calling? If so, how? And who supports you the most today?

     I have wonderful parents who showed me how to quietly live one's faith daily and to simply be involved to support the work of the parish. Faith was an active part in our lives, and knowing the Love of God was a significant part of my childhood. I am a product of this. I also had wonderful examples of pastoral ministry in my upbringing. My own clergy but also retired chaplains and friends who showed me what it was to seek the Will of God for a community while also growing in one's own relationship with God. I know that their support, love, advice, and prayers made a difference. Mentors have abounded at every point in my life and good and holy friendships have shown up at every point along the way. Along with my family and my parish, all of them Providentially placed along the path- they all have built a foundation that I know supports me today.

What have been the most meaningful lessons of your ministry in the Philadelphia Archeparchy? What has this experience taught you about the Church, about God, and about yourself?

     The Philadelphia Archeparchy is a community unlike any that I have been part of- with diversity of language and origin, different regions of this country together, different ideas of what it means to be the Church together and how to live out faith- and yet, by the work of the Spirit, we have been drawn together to be a Church and to live in service to our neighbors together, to share our heritage and history (whether we came about that heritage by birth or by choice), to share our way of praying together, and most importantly the many ways in which God has loved us and continues to love us all. God is full of surprises! This is not where I expected my life to lead. 

What challenges do you see for your future ministry? Which of them are timeless, and which feel especially unique to our present time?

     We have so many distractions. There have always been distractions, but they are so pervasive currently. With so much falsehood, deception, death, division, and temptation at our fingertips, it is hard to break through that and to hear the voice of Truth, Beauty, Life and Love. Christ speaks, and the Spirit flows. May God use us to break through the noise to make that known. I also know that the demands on family life are great. Families are under pressure to take on too much, to live up to a certain level of expectations, and the world is less and less accustomed to or set up as friendly to children. To guard my own family against this is a challenge, and I also know that it is not only my family experiencing this. Many are simply not forming families because of these pressures, also. May God use us to show the Love of God to parents, to children, and to those who are just forming families.

Prepared by Halyna Vasylytsia