Name: Deacon William Roesch
Wife: Margaret A. Roesch
Home Parish: Sacred Heart of Jesus, Spring Grove
Parish Assignment: St. Rose of Lima, York
What drew you to serve the Diocese as a Deacon?
My Catholic faith has always been of utmost importance to me. I grew up in a strong, faith-filled Catholic family. The values of the Catholic faith that I learned from my parents have always been what I used to guide my decisions in life. When the opportunity to apply to the Diaconate became possible in the Diocese, I felt called to share the gift of my faith with others. I knew God had a plan for my life and I could feel His call to serve in a deeper way through ministry.
Deacon William Roesch
What aspect of the ministry are you most looking forward to?
I am looking forward to assisting and serving at liturgy and proclaiming the Gospel. I hope to serve the poor, by meeting their physical and spiritual needs. Additionally, I would like to continue to be involved and teach adult faith formation courses.
What is/was your profession prior to ordination?
Forestry, land management and arboriculture specialist.
How has the formation program helped you grow spiritually?
The spiritual formation I received was excellent, and it has helped me to gain a much deeper knowledge of the many aspects of my faith. As a result of formation, I have become more contemplative in prayer, and prayer has become more of who I am, rather than something that I do.
Deacon Scott Root
Wife: Shannon Root
Home Parish: St. Katharine Drexel, Mechanicsburg
Parish Assignment: St. Katharine Drexel, Mechanicsburg
What drew you to serve the Diocese as a Deacon?
I have been discerning a vocation to the permanent diaconate since I was 13 years old. In middle school, I discerned that I was called to the married life. When I entered high school, I met Deacon Richard Wentzel. Through his example, I began to discern how I could serve the Church as a married clergy. Through Deacon Wentzel’s example, I was drawn to the way that a deacon can uniquely share his faith journey as both a member of the clergy and as a married man with a career and a family.
Deacon Scott Root
What aspect of the ministry are you most looking forward to?
As I have walked the journey of formation, I have learned there are many more ministries and roles that deacons participate in throughout the Church then I ever really thought about. I pray daily to be open to God’s will in my life, so I am most looking forward to how He decides I can best serve the Church. I am open to where he leads me. It is exciting to entrust my future ministry to Him.
What is your profession?
I am the campus minister at Trinity High School in Camp Hill and DRE at St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Mechanicsburg.
How has the formation program helped you grow spiritually?
The formation program has prepared me and my wife Shannon, and has helped us to grow in our own personal spirituality. Through formation, we have been exposed to various ways to pray. Through the spiritual journey of formation, we have deepened our relationship with God, so we can share his love with others.
Deacon George Salzmann
Wife: Susan Salzmann
Home Parish: St. Patrick, Carlisle
Parish Assignment: St. Patrick, Carlisle
What drew you to serve the Diocese as a Deacon?
God has a wonderful sense of humor. God called in many ways, through many experiences, and through many people. I asked so many times “Really God…you want me…Why?” I tried to run, to say, “I’ll be back to you later God,” and occupied myself focusing on other matters. God did not give up on me though, and was, quite frankly, relentless. Things happened I could not explain, people said things to me I could not explain, and the incredible support of my wife, my children, my business partners, my clients, and of course the clergy, especially my uncle Father Paul Bryan C.S.S.R., I could not begin to explain. So, I just tried to start responding daily and did my best to stay out of my own way. A life of servant leadership moved by the grace of God towards the goal of a servant’s heart filled with humility and love is what ultimately drew me to service as deacon.
Deacon George Salzmann
What aspect of the ministry are you most looking forward to?
Susan and I have a large immediate and extended family, so I am looking forward to serving in all ways to help with families. Whether that work is through preaching about opportunities, challenges and gifts of family life, assisting with sacraments such as baptisms and funerals, or simply walking with families on their faith journeys in whatever form Jesus asks, I hope to be able to provide a sense of Christ’s abundant love and joy for each and every member of the parish family as well as to individual families.
What is your profession?
I serve as President of the law firm of Salzmann Hughes, P.C., and practice environmental law, land use/zoning law, and government/municipal law. I also serve as CEO to GMS Funding Solutions, which assists local and county government bodies as well as private nonprofit and for-profit corporations with community and economic development projects.
How has the formation program helped you grow spiritually?
The five-year formation program has been simply excellent, and I cannot thank enough Bishop Gainer, Father Neil Sullivan, Sister Geralyn, Father Paul Schenck, and the many permanent deacons of our parishes who took so much of their time and spent so much effort assisting with this diaconate class. The formal education stretched my understanding of so many areas of faith, unlocking the beauty, depth and covenantal relationship with our God through both Tradition and Scripture. At the same time, the program served as a wonderful balance with “keeping it real” as our class was formed through challenging times for our Church and our Diocese. My growth spiritually was enhanced, not diminished, by the various storms and rough seas. Our program stressed continually that the deacon’s role is a “bridge” in our Church. The program not only led to spiritual growth for me, but was a beautiful experience for our marriage and our family.
