For many who answer God’s call, the path of vocation unfolds slowly across years.
For Deacon Jason Maday, that journey began with a quiet childhood desire and matured through family life, parish service and patient discernment.
On April 18, God’s plan became visible as Jason was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Bishop Jeffrey Walsh at the St. Mary Cathedral in Gaylord.
“I can remember as a first or second grader wanting to be a priest,” he said. “Something about the priest at Mass fascinated me. I didn’t understand everything then, but I knew I wanted to give my life to God in some way.”
“That desire never completely disappeared,” he continued. “Even when life moved in other directions, it waited quietly for God’s time to come.”
As years passed, that childhood dream faded behind work, marriage and raising a family. Jason and Beth Maday, his wife of 25 years, built a life centered on faith while raising their three children. Yet even amid the responsibilities of family life, God continued working gently within his heart.
son Gabe began his freshman year at Benedictine
College. Pictured from left to right are Deacon Jason,
Anna Cate, Gabe, Maggie, Beth and Pio the dog.
“The Lord often works slowly,” Jason said. “Looking back now, I can see how he was forming my heart long before I recognized the call again.”
The turning point came when Jason’s young son, Gabriel, showed curiosity about priesthood. Serving at Mass opened a new chapter of faith within their home and quietly awakened Jason’s earlier sense of calling.
At Holy Rosary Parish in Cedar, Jason helped Gabriel join the Knights of the Altar and soon began guiding the boys himself.
“I became like a coach for altar serving,” Jason reflects. “It was a beautiful way for my son and me to grow in faith together each week after altar server practice.”
“We would talk about the Mass on the drive home,” Jason said. “Those conversations helped both of us understand how sacred what happens at the altar really is.”
Through that shared experience, the quiet seed of Jason’s own vocation began growing again.
A Call Rekindled Through Faith
Another moment of grace arrived when Beth entered the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) nearly two decades ago.
“While it was her journey into the Church, it created a fire in me,” Jason said. “I wanted to learn everything I could about the Catholic faith and grow closer to Christ every single day.
“The more I learned about the faith, the more I realized how beautiful and deep it is. It made me want to serve the Church in whatever way God was asking.”
Encouraged by Beth and his children, Jason spoke with Father Donald Libby at Holy Rosary Parish, who affirmed the call and invited him to begin formal diaconate discernment.
daughters Maggie (left) and Anna Cate (right)
after a Disciples’ hockey game in Traverse City.
His formation eventually included spiritual direction and theological studies through the University of Dayton, the University of Notre Dame and the seminary program at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake.
Years of prayer and preparation helped him discern the diaconate while continuing to live out his vocation as a husband, father and teacher.
“Having my family’s encouragement meant everything,” Jason said. “Their support gave me the courage to take the next step and trust where God was leading.”
Serving Christ and His Church
Today, Jason, a deacon at Holy Rosary Parish in Cedar, teaches theology at St. Francis High School in Traverse City and helps coordinate mission trips that allow students to encounter Christ through service.
“Teaching the faith and serving the Church is a tremendous joy,” Jason said. “I hope my ministry helps others encounter God and discover the beauty of saying ‘yes’ to God every single day.
“For me, the diaconate is about service. It is about bringing God to people and helping people see him in their own lives,” explains Jason.
