A ministry marked by loving like Christ, Deacon McGraw celebrates twenty-five years

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Deacon Joseph McGraw, currently assigned to Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel, Crestview Hills, celebrated 25 years of diaconal ministry with the anniversary of his ordination, May 13. Deacon McGraw’s ministry has spanned two states, five parishes and many roles.

It was his family and church community that helped him to realize his call to the diaconate. He said, “I was very fortunate to have wonderful, faithful parents and loving siblings, and I was further blessed when this continued with my wife and children. I think that kind of environment is really conducive to discerning a vocation. For me, a vocation is a calling from God, and it’s also a calling from the community.”

Following that call, Deacon McGraw was ordained in the Diocese of Cleveland, where he resided and ministered for 12 years following his ordination. There, he aided his Bishop and served two parishes each with over 2,500 parishioners.

“I did a lot of baptisms, I witnessed marriages, and, I would say, probably one of the most humbling things I did was I was with families as their loved ones passed away,” said Deacon McGraw.

After his 12 years of ministry in Cleveland, Deacon McGraw and his family moved to the Diocese of Covington, where he was assigned to Holy Spirit Parish, Newport. It was there he remained, serving the parish for seven years before a reassignment to St. Therese Parish, Southgate, where he served for six years, before moving to his current ministry at Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel.

Currently, Deacon McGraw teaches in addition to his diaconal ministry, which he says are one and the same.

“The majority of the students here are not Catholic, and so you have to meet people where they are,” said Deacon McGraw. “I always tell the students in my class that relationships are just like with people and God. You’ve got to enter into a relationship, and you’ve got to spend time together. Then, once you do, you can start to trust the person, and once you trust the person, you can believe in that person. But you can’t expect people to start believing in a person right away.”

In the students he ministers to and teaches, said Deacon McGraw, he sees the heart of Christianity. “A lot of it goes back to what I see in the students,” he said. “They are much, much more empathetic than my generation ever was. And at the heart of Christianity is empathy.”

As for his next 25 years of diaconal ministry, Deacon McGraw hopes to do more of the same, helping draw others closer to Christ. “It’s trying to help everyone understand having faith … There’s always talk about Catholic identity and what it is. For me, Catholic identity comes down to loving like Christ did. And if they let me do that, I’ll try it,” he said.