{"id":8239,"date":"2024-10-09T18:09:47","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T18:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/?p=8239"},"modified":"2024-10-09T18:09:47","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T18:09:47","slug":"the-lord-will-overcome-any-worldly-obstacle-deacon-luke-oestmans-testimony-of-prayerful-service-in-yuma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/the-lord-will-overcome-any-worldly-obstacle-deacon-luke-oestmans-testimony-of-prayerful-service-in-yuma\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lord will overcome any worldly obstacle: Deacon Luke Oestman\u2019s testimony of prayerful service in Yuma"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]2024 marks the 50th Jubilee of the Permanent Diaconate here in the Archdiocese of Denver. Through preaching, service, worship and prayer,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>deacons serve the people of God in unique ways through their various ministries<\/em>\u00a0<\/i><\/span>and lives. This article is one of a series of articles the Denver Catholic will publish in 2024 which will feature local deacons and\/or a diaconal ministry.<\/em>\u00a0<\/i><\/span>There are many Deacon Saints who were martyred for their faith. In this year of Jubilee, the deacons of the Archdiocese of Denver are asking for prayers through the intercession of Saint Euplius of Cantania, deacon and martyr.<\/em>\u00a0Learn more about this Deacon Saint<\/em>\u00a0<\/i><\/span>here.<\/a><\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to ask the Lord what he wants for your life.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The invitation made decades ago still resounds for Deacon Luke Oestman, one of the Archdiocese of Denver\u2019s newest permanent deacons.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Born and raised Catholic, Deacon Oestman was involved in the life of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Yuma from a young age. But the question posed to him by the parish pastor at the time led him to encounter the Lord.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Traveling for World Youth Day Rome in 2000, Deacon Oestman and the other Colorado pilgrims visited Assisi. They had Mass in the Basilica’s crypt church, and afterward, Deacon Oestman was moved to deeper prayer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI walked up and I knelt down right beside St. Francis\u2019 tomb, and I said that prayer that my priest had encouraged me to pray: \u2018Jesus, what do you want for me?\u2019 And I encountered God. His presence was so real. It was like what I\u2019d been searching for was found,\u201d he shared, recalling the tear-filled gift of prayerful clarity. \u201cSomething in me broke open to the Lord in the newness of this experience with the Lord. And from that moment, I think the Lord was calling me to serve the Church. Very similar to St. Francis, just to be a servant to the Church.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until a few years after this experience that his life began to change, Deacon Oestman shared. Thanks to the discipleship of some Protestant missionaries, he began to walk with the Lord and read the Scriptures anew.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI learned the art of coming to know God\u2019s voice through the Scriptures. I fell in love with the Church,\u201d he shared.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From Yuma, he went to study at Franciscan University of Steubenville, then worked as a parish Director of Religious Education before studying at the Augustine Institute. During his graduate studies, Deacon Oestman discovered the possibility of dedicating himself to evangelization full-time, especially through the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the last 15 years, he has worked with FOCUS nationwide on college campuses and in parishes. But even as he served, he felt called deeper.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy heart started to come alive, and I started to think, \u2018Wait, I think I want to serve the Church more formally than as just a missionary,\u2019\u201d Deacon Oestman said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>He began discerning a vocation to the diaconate, experiencing healing and confirmation along the way. Eventually, he and his family moved back to Yuma, and Deacon Oestman farmed and raised his family while remaining involved in FOCUS.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Convinced he was called to the diaconate, Deacon Oestman applied for the formation program. He left the application in the hands of the Lord, recognizing there were plenty of reasons it might not work out: he was just shy of the one-year residency requirement, he had a number of young children, and he lived two and a half hours from Denver.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite all the reasons to the contrary, he was invited to a discernment retreat at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. Feeling the weight of all those reasons, Deacon Oestman made his way into the chapel, where he found a relic of Pope St. John Paul II and a stained glass window of St. Francis of Assisi, a divine reminder of his initial encounter with the Lord on his way to World Youth Day in 2000.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI prayed that prayer 20 years ago in Assisi, and I\u2019ve been trying to be faithful to it ever since,\u201d he said, recalling the powerful moment in prayer. \u201cI was just like, \u2018God, whatever you call me to do, I\u2019m willing to do it.\u2019 And now, because of a little sacrifice of time or money or whatever, I\u2019m second-guessing this call to become a deacon. And the Lord confirmed that call in my heart that whatever human, worldly things I\u2019m worried about, whatever sacrifices, the Lord is asking this. He\u2019ll overcome any obstacle.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And overcome he has. Whether the death of his father, the birth of two new children, or any other challenge, the Lord sustained Deacon Oestman throughout his formation \u2013 and continues to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a lot of obstacles there, but the Lord helped us overcome all of them. It\u2019s been a beautiful invitation into deeper intimacy with him and greater service to the Church and my family. And I think it\u2019s enriched our experience of the Church and of our family life as well,\u201d he shared.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having just celebrated his first anniversary of ordination, Deacon Oestman is the youngest permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Denver \u2013 though only by six months, he quickly added. Just as before his ordination, he and his family continue to serve the people of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Yuma and St. Andrew Parish in Wray while also serving as FOCUS\u2019 Director of Priest Accompaniment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Between his age, large family, rural assignment and passion for evangelization and accompaniment, Deacon Oestman has a unique perspective on his newfound vocation. As he helps with baptisms, weddings, funerals and visits to the sick, he recognizes that many he encounters might not be Catholic, but he knows them well because of the small-town reality of his ministry.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone with a missionary heart and a part of this community, I know many of them, or they know me. I\u2019ve just been able to make them feel welcome and to encourage them to give the Catholic Church a second look again,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have a level of trust with me because I\u2019m another farmer that they recognize from the feedlot dropping off corn a couple of years ago, but at the same time, they also hear a message that leads them to an encounter and a conversation with the living God.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very relational,\u201d Deacon Oestman said of his ministry in Yuma and Wray. Whether it involves meeting with couples seeking marriage alongside his wife, preparing parents for their child\u2019s baptism, or even rushing to the hospital to console a family amid a medical tragedy, Deacon Oestman is an integral part of the community, walking with the people and leading them to Christ.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese families are families I know well, and I hope God will give me the grace to continue to walk with them, to accompany them deeper through the stages of faith,\u201d he shared.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A new deacon, he was already being called to visit parishioners in challenging times, all because of his deep, generational relationships with the families and the community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have to go searching,\u201d he said. \u201cIt can be heavy to walk with these families who are my age. They\u2019re in their 30s, 40s and 50s, and their children or they are sick and facing really hard diagnoses. But it became a joy to have those conversations about Heaven, trusting our Heavenly Father and the power of the sacraments when they did receive them.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With his ministry to the people of eastern Colorado and priests across the country through FOCUS, a simple question prayed in earnest two decades ago has blossomed into an incredible vocation of service. Step by step, the Lord led Deacon Oestman closer to himself, eventually calling him to be configured to Christ the Servant. Despite the challenges and curve balls, he and his family have continued to step up to the plate and minister to each person God places in front of them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lord\u2019s call is the only reason I would ever do anything this crazy,\u201d Deacon Oestman concluded. \u201cI had a lot of friends asking, \u2018What do they pay you for this? What are you going to get afterward?\u2019 As far as the world is concerned, I get nothing, but it\u2019s the call and that beautiful service that make it all worthwhile. The Lord calls and gives an overabundance of grace on the other side.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

+++<\/p>\n

Your support of the Archbishop\u2019s Catholic Appeal strengthens religious outreach, bringing faith-filled programs and services to people of all ages and backgrounds. By donating, you help spread the message of Christ and nurture spiritual growth in our communities. To contribute, please visit: archden.org\/GiveNow<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This story was originally published on September 23, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n

Originally published on Denver Catholic.<\/a><\/em><\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default” custom_height=”60px”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n
The Archbishop\u2019s Catholic Appeal is the Archdiocese of Denver\u2019s largest annual fundraiser, and helps events like these impact more lives.<\/div>\n
Join us in spreading Christ’s love through your generous gift.<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”15px”][nectar_btn size=”jumbo” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” color_override=”#f58320″ icon_family=”none” text=”Give Today” url=”https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/GiveNow\/”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default” custom_height=”60px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While known to some for its party culture, multiple Denver priests think of the University of Colorado in Boulder as a turning point in their discernment. Three priests share their experience at the university and its impact on their vocation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":8241,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","content-type":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-religious-outreach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8239"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8242,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8239\/revisions\/8242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}