Brendan Vaughan-Spruce is parishioner at St Patrick’s, Brockworth. He is a graphic designer and art worker for a printing company in Gloucester. Born in Cheltenham in 1959, Brendan married Sally at St Gregory’s in Cheltenham in 1984. They have three daughters, Hannah, Jude and Teresa and a son, Alex.

Brendan said, “My family have been very supportive since I first felt that God was calling me to the Permanent Diaconate, as has Father Chris Hickey, the Parish Priest at St Patrick’s.

“My decision to offer myself for formation as a Permanent Deacon came after much prayer and reflection. Sally and I had been involved in a charity called Across for many years, accompanying and organizing pilgrimages to Lourdes for people with terminal illness or disability. I found the experience of being with people who were so ill or disabled very humbling. The things I had to complain about in life were nothing compared to what these people, with the help of their faith in God, were dealing with every single day. It was during this period that thoughts of the diaconate first began. It was in serving people in need that I discovered the real needs in myself and strengthened my faith in the compassion and love of God. This led to a desire to deepen that service in a stronger and more binding commitment by consideration of the ordained ministry of service in the Church, the diaconate.”