Seven years ago, I wrote the story of Aurora’s Deacon Bruce Watermann. At that time, I gave the opinion that he carried the workload of what could keep three ministers more than busy.
As a sad update to that story, our community lost our wonderful servant “Deacon Bruce,” as he was known to almost everyone, when he passed away unexpectedly in January. But I don’t think that he would approve of the word “sad.”
His legacy is evident from the love and support for him and his family shown by hundreds, if not thousands, of those to whom he ministered. I like to think that he might see the recent events as a transition from the sadness of Holy Week to the joy and hope of the Easter season which has just begun.
For those who knew Deacon Bruce, his many ministries were well known. Not everyone knew, however, that for the last 13 years of his life, he had an ongoing battle with cancer. After initial treatment, he had a remission of about five years. But the sickness recurred, and he endured different forms of chemotherapy.
I have lasting memories of my visit with him in 2016, and I well remember that only one thing seemed to make him sad or worried about his sickness.
“I want to be that messenger of God’s grace and peace,” he said. “I didn’t want to miss doing his work during chemotherapy, so I prayed and asked God to let me do his work.”
That work did indeed continue, and was only occasionally interrupted by “down” days because of treatments.
Deacon Bruce ministered to seniors at a retirement center for 10 years. With his wife Jody, he was involved in prison ministry starting in the 1990s, and became chaplain of the Aurora Township Fire Department in 2007. As with firefighters, he was on call to help victims who might need his presence.
All the while, he continued many ministries at several East Side parishes — almost too many activities to list. Some were helping on Sundays with Bible study, baptisms, adult confirmation, Christian initiation and helping with a food pantry. Being bilingual, he helped to tutor Spanish speaking priests in liturgical English. He counseled people who might be struggling in their lives with three or four standing appointments each week, and occasionally others who might just call him.
Although an ordained deacon of the Catholic Church, he ministered to people of many faiths, and to some who professed no faith at all through his ministries in prisons and with helping first responders and in emergency rooms.
According to his son Bob, his very well-attended wake included mourners who had been previously incarcerated, and two young people who were especially grieving because Deacon Bruce was going to be their confirmation sponsor.
His funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph Church in Aurora, attended by an overflow congregation. It was emotional, and included something I will never forget.
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At the conclusion of the Mass, Bob Watermann spoke of his father, and made several requests to identify people to whom Deacon Bruce had ministered.
“Would those people whom my dad helped train as altar servers please stand?” “Would those whom he helped as confirmation students please stand?” “Would those whom he baptized please stand?” “Would those for whom he was a sacramental sponsor please stand?” “Would those whom he counseled or ministered to please stand?”
In the end, well over half of the people in the large congregation were standing in silent gratitude and tribute to Deacon Bruce. It could have been a scene out of a movie, but it wasn’t a scene. It was real, amazing and touching.
Having written about devoted community servants for 13 years, I am privileged to have met outstanding, memorable and passionate people, but Deacon Bruce was unique. His eyes would light up with happiness just talking about his ministries and how privileged he felt to be doing God’s work.
He had many favorite sayings, including one which went: “May all your skies be blue, May all your lights be green, Be good, be kind, be careful, but most of all BE! And may the hinges of our friendship never rust.” And another one said: “Each dawn of a new day brings a special friend my way, and that friend is you.”
He was real, with nothing artificial about him — what you saw is what you got in the way of compassion and kindness. He met you where you were with no judgments, and his only desire was to help you.
Long live the memory of the Lord’s servant, Deacon Bruce M. Watermann.
Tom Strong is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.