By Alice Huth-Derrah
Working with Deacon Sal Lema on the parish newsletter means the pleasure of collaborating with a man of unwavering faith. He believes in the strength in all of us when we have the courage to recognize what we have been gifted by the Father. Those gifts, when shared and even developed out of necessity, can have a lasting impact on those most in need and make an amazing difference in individual lives, within our communities, and in the world. Deacon Sal actively lives the Word through a life of service, giving of his time and talents and providing hope to others during periods of struggle.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Deacon Sal is the eldest of two sons born into an Italian Catholic family. Growing up in the Church, he fondly remembers praying with his Grandmother Francis — “She prayed in Italian, and I prayed in English” — and describes her as being his “spiritual connection.” He attended Catholic schools up to high school, received an engineering degree, and would later earn a Master’s Degree in Religious Education. He worked for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in Chicago for 32 years until his retirement at fifty years old. He was ordained a deacon on May 20, 2001, at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and served in many capacities at several parishes in the area. Rejoining the workforce, Deacon Sal became the Director of Communications for the Order of Carmelites in Darien, Illinois, where he served for the next 13 years.
Deacon Sal quietly acknowledges several major accomplishments in his life. Foremost is his marriage of almost 44 years to Beth, of whom he gives absolute credit — “She’s right there…without her I wouldn’t be what I am.” As an ordained deacon in the Catholic Church, Deacon Sal is humbled by the opportunity to “represent people of faith” and be a “community builder.” He and Deacon Joe Winblad are co-founders of Hope’s On the Way, an organization started during the fateful year of 2005 when Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst hurricanes recorded in U.S. history, struck the southeastern coast, most notably New Orleans, Louisiana. It was after reading an article about how severely the convent and school of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Orleans had been damaged that Deacon Sal came to contact Sister Beth Fitzpatrick. Sister Beth was in need of help rebuilding the girls’ academy and the high school print shop where all of their needed materials were copied. Deacon Sal says he felt compelled to lend a hand — “Once the Spirit had moved me, I knew I wanted to help the sisters.” Out of that realization sprang Hope’s On the Way with its purpose of providing assistance to those experiencing the aftermath of disasters. Deacon Sal, along with five other deacons, made the 960-mile trek to New Orleans, and after putting in a total of “260-man hours…and generous donations” of materials and money, the print shop was ready for use. “We spent the next seven years returning to New Orleans three times a year”, says Deacon Sal, as they continued their work and partnered with Catholic Charities to help others impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Displayed in Deacon Sal’s home office is a collection of unique and beautiful crosses that have been gifted to him over many years. Smiling brightly, he shares stories about some of the people and circumstances behind them. Pointing to one cross made out of clear glass and outlined in silver, Deacon Sal explains that the glass was “taken from broken remnants of a window from Sister Beth’s convent” damaged during Katrina. It seems to perfectly symbolize Deacon Sal’s belief in Christ’s example and teachings: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1Peter 4:10)
