The Diaconal Mission Service Team:
DMST is a response to the call for a New Evangelization by the Holy Father and the American Bishops. It is a diaconal team response as envisioned by paragraphs 36-40 in the 2004 National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States.
DMST is a diaconal ministry of the Diocese of Norwich which began in 2001 as a way of animating the Service Ministry of the Church while promoting collegial diaconal ministry that is responsive to the pastoral needs in the Diocese. Members of the DMST are accountable to one another and commit (1) to share their time and talents in promoting the Service Ministry of the Church for the Kingdom of God; (2) to be willing to grow in ministerial competence; (3) to read the “signs of the times”; (4) to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit and (5) to embrace the “privilege of love.” The Privilege of Love is an acknowledgement that in working together in the ministry that our Bishop has entrusted to us, we will come to know and experience the love of Christ. We believe that isolated deacons with only occasional contact with other deacons will never enjoy the fullness of diaconal community. We trust that deacons collaborating in ministry become a visible witness to Christ’s love and that diaconal community will emerge as a welcome by-product of sharing in God’s work. Our hope is that this ministry-based approach will help to foster diaconal community and witness to the power of God’s love to transform ourselves and our world.
Mission Statement:
DMST animates and promotes evangelizing service, in innovative ways, in order to bring focus to the central mission of the Church among the baptized with particular concern for the marginal and most abandoned.
Mission Direction Statement for 2002-2007:
The Diaconal Mission Service Team takes its current direction in mission from the three goals of Go And Make Disciples. The team conducts parish missions and works with parishes to renew or establishes parish evangelization teams.
Deacon Michael Berstene
(center) is involved in parish ministry at Saint Bernard
Church in Rockville. He is the Director of Diaconate Personnel for the diocese,
a graduate of the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Institute at St. Paul’s
College in Washington, DC and a past president of the Hartford Area Habitat for
Humanity. Married 36 years and father of two children, Michael has a degree in business from the University of
Connecticut and a Masters in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute.
Deacon Dennis Dolan (left) is a graduate of St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore (AB Philosophy/Theology) and Boston College (M.Ed. in Religious Education) and a graduate of the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Institute at St. Paul’s College in Washington, DC. Former Asst. Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Norwich, Parish DRE and past Chairman of Religion Departments at South Catholic and Aquinas High School. He is presently senior Catholic Chaplain for the Department of Corrections, a member of Diocesan Prison Ministry Board and the Diocesan Disciples in Mission Team. Dennis is a national columnist for the Paulist Father’s Newsletter for Catholic Inmates “Let’s Talk”. Married 30 years and the father of three. Deacon Dennis is Catholic Chaplain at York C.I.
Deacon Peter Gill (right) is the former editor of the Four County Catholic, now directs outreach ministry to homebound seniors and provides pastoral care and bereavement support to Bristol VNA & Hospice. He serves the parish community of St. Colman, Middlefield and is a member of the Diocesan Disciples in Mission Team. Peter has been married for 44 years, has two children and three grandchildren.