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Meet Deacon Neil Lacey

Deacon Neil Lacey and Deacon Bill Koffel have many things in common but one thing in particular—they both believe that becoming a deacon was one of the best decisions they made in their lives.

Ordained a deacon on May 7, 1977 (one of the second class of deacons for the Archdiocese of Boston), Neil believes that pursuing the diaconate was a logical "next step" on his spiritual journey and one that has been filled with many blessings. Neil says, "The greatest joy has been helping to bring people to believe in Jesus and our Church."

Bill echoes this sentiment. "My greatest joy as a deacon has been the opportunity to participate in the important events in people's family and spiritual lives. I'm thinking of baptisms, weddings, First Communions, RCIA programs, and other occasions when people sense more fully God's desire to be present in their own life journeys."

Bill was ordained a deacon in September 2002, on the feast of the Holy Cross at Holy Cross Cathedral. His decision to pursue the diaconate was two-fold. "One of the things that motivated me was my sense that the Church is in a period of tremendous change, and I want to do my part to help it change in positive ways. The other thing that has played a big role in my vocation is reading the scriptures, especially the Gospels and St. Paul's letters to the first Christian communities."

Of course, neither realized just how much change could happen in one small area of North Framingham.

Bill acknowledges the sadness he feels regarding the closing of Saint Jeremiah, but his faith spurs him on. "My sorrow at the closing of St. Jeremiah is tempered by the hope I have for the many wonderful things that the people of our three parishes can do together. I imagine that together we can do more for our young people, more for social justice and community service, and offer more programs for our spiritual growth than we have been able to do apart."

Neil agrees, "I'm looking forward to the time when we in Framingham have become one vibrant parish full of zeal for all that we can do for each other and for the many who don't worship with us."

Born and raised in Boston, Neil moved to Natick during his high school years, and he served two years in the Navy. He and his wife, Genevieve (Gen), were married in 1952 and moved to Framingham after the birth of their first son in 1955. At that time, the old church was still standing.

Educated at Brown University with graduate studies at Northeastern, Neil spent much of his career at Raytheon working as an electrical engineer. Neil and Gen have four children and eight grandchildren, including two grandsons who were adopted from Ethiopia. Neil reflects on his life and says, "At the end of the day, I find my life is good."

Bill grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, the oldest of eight children. He moved to Massachusetts to attend Boston College. He and his wife, Dorothy, were married in 1973, and they moved to Framingham in 1976. For 10 years, they were members of St. Bridget's parish, where their three sons were all baptized. They moved to Brook Street in 1987 and have been at St. Jeremiah's parish since then.

Bill works as a lawyer in Boston, and Dorothy works as a teacher in Southborough. They enjoy traveling, and they have taken some wonderful trips to Europe with friends. At the end of the day, Bill says he's grateful for all of the blessings that God has showered on him and his family. "I pray that in some small way I can share what I've been given with others."