RALEIGH – Drew Eliot Navarro was ordained to the transitional diaconate April 26 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral. A seminarian since 2020 with the Diocese of Raleigh, he is a graduate of East Carolina University, a St. Luke parishioner and the middle of five adult children of George and Sue Navarro.
Deacon Drew studies at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. In the Catholic Church, a transitional deacon is one who is in formation to become a priest.
During the Rite of Ordination, he was called forward for the presentation of the candidate, election by the bishop and consent of the people, a short series of questions and responses whereby he was officially chosen for ordination.
As he stood and smiled, those gathered shared applause and awaited the bishop’s homily.
Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama thanked the faithful for their presence.
“The Lord has been calling you and now is the moment in which … you listen for your name, and you stand up,” he said. “You need to be bold as Peter and John and all the disciples. The people were amazed about them, and they couldn’t believe these humble people, without studies. [People thought,] ‘Look at what they are doing!’”
Bishop Luis likened Deacon Drew’s present vocation to the role of a gardener who tends to his garden and knows that each plant, tree and flower needs different care to grow. He then took a paper from his pocket and read something special he selected for the day.
“Rivers do not drink their own water. Trees do not eat their own fruit. The sun does not shine on itself. And flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is the value of nature. We are all born to help each other, no matter how difficult it is. Life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you,” he said.
Bishop Luis returned the paper to his pocket and attributed the words to Pope Francis, whose portrait sat nearby on the altar because the Church had held the pope’s funeral about six hours before in Rome.
The ordination Mass continued with the promises of the elect, promise of obedience and litany of supplication whereby the elect prostrates himself on the floor as the Litany of the Saints is sung.
“It’s a very symbolic and meaningful gesture, saying to the Lord and to the Church that my heart is totally yours. And of course it’ll hopefully be like that for all eternity. But even in this life with many years of ministry and service … my heart belongs to God and to his Church. And, again, that’s a desire I have deep down in my heart,” said Deacon Drew.
He arrived at the day following many years of discernment and prayer. A Raleigh native, he attended Millbrook High School before earning a scholarship to East Carolina University, graduating with a degree in engineering and then attending medical school for one year at UNC Chapel Hill.
During his late teens, he was open to many possibilities for his life, including other vocations and the profession of practicing family medicine or cardiology. Wanting to be a doctor shaped many of his decisions, he said. Thoughts of the priesthood did enter his mind, but he said he pushed them to the back.
He focused on his relationship with God, he said, and things became peaceful and clear for his life. He felt confident on the path as he was applying to medical school. But, as a medical student, he began to notice some things about himself.
“Once I was beginning my studies, the reality, the invitation to discern priesthood just became stronger and stronger, he said. “One thing I noticed … when I’d interact with patients … I remember feeling a little conflicted because we had to run through the patient history and things like that, but deep down I was always hoping that there would be an opportunity to talk about something of the faith, whether they were Christian or not.”
He was gathering data of a different kind at that point, and it led him to the vocations office.
Deacon Drew credits his family for helping to foster his vocation, especially his parents who have been supportive, he said, and available for important conversations he needed to have.
He’s also thankful, he said, to the Newman Centers at ECU and UNC and priests and lay people he has met throughout his journey. For him, all his life experiences have meant something important and led him to his present vocation.
“For me, the biggest game changer in discernment has been to focus first and foremost on my relationship with God and his truly incredible and unconditional love for me, particularly in Jesus Christ,” he said. “Early on … I didn’t think about discernment in those terms. It was more asking God what he wanted me to do. And, if I am being honest, that caused a fair amount of stress because I just wasn’t really sure. God could have given me an answer, and I think he does that for some people. But before giving that answer, I think what he really desired and continues to desire is just to be in deep relationship with me. And that’s his desire for everyone … it is the foundation of every vocation.”
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