These Composing Catholic Contributors have been selected because they share our vision and have a unique gift for exploring the beauty of faith. We hope you’ll agree.

***

Deacon Jim Hyatt

My name is Deacon Jim Hyatt. I was ordained a Deacon in October of 2021 and have been assigned to my home parishes of Blessed Sacrament and St Mary’s in Walpole ever since. My wife and I have lived in Walpole since 1996 where we have raised our five children. We also have four grandchildren so far!

Most of my interests revolve around my family and the outdoors. We are all avid skiers – our home mountain is Sunday River in Maine where we ski frequently. I also love to hike which Maine again offers substantial opportunities to grab a pack and go. A walk in the woods is great, but a hike that includes a view from the top of a mountain is the best. I find the solitude of the woods is a great time to clear the mind and pray. 

The focus of my ministry has been centered on how Jesus Christ walks with us on our journey through life and is the source of our salvation. 

***

Karen Bell

My name is Karen Bell, and I’m humbled by Rey and Joey’s invitation to be an occasional Contributor here on Composing Catholic.

A lifelong Catholic, I attended Catholic schools and worked as a cantor in the greater Boston area for over 25 years, beginning back in my grad school days at New England Conservatory.  I served at St. Denis in Westwood, St. Bernard in West Newton, St. Catherine in Norwood and at Blessed Sacrament in Walpole, my home parish.

I’ve long worked in education; connecting with teens gets me up in the morning and those daily encounters keep me optimistic about our future. In addition to education and music, I am interested in politics, science and philosophy.

***

Deacon Alan Doty

Hello, this is Deacon Alan Doty. I will be an occasional Contributor here on Composing Catholic.

I was ordained as Deacon in September 2017 and am assigned to the same parish collaborative as Rey. My wife and I have three children in their 20’s.

My interests are in science, the business of science, and exploring the intersection of science and faith. Mostly I just struggle to see and listen to the world through the eyes and ears of faith and occasionally to share what I have seen and heard.

Having been ordained only a short time my preaching style is still evolving, and I thank Rey and Joey for inviting me to share some of my homilies here on Composing Catholic.

***

Will Campbell

My name is Will and I am 33 years old. I attended Catholic school my entire life, but like many in my generation, I fell away from the Church in high school and early in college. I consider myself a “re-vert” to the faith.

I picked up the Bible to read the Gospels again when I was 22 years old, and the words of Christ haven’t left me since. I began my new faith journey with struggle, still a sinner, but continually give my life to God through my marriage, fatherhood, prayer and the sacraments. I believe that it is precisely our struggles that we encounter in our daily lives that bring us closer to God.

I am now blessed to be married to the woman of my dreams and have a beautiful son and a beautiful daughter. I love golf, fitness, movies, and of course following the Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox. I don’t have an agenda, I am just passionate about my faith and love to write. I hope you will encounter Christ in some small way when you read my thoughts, because, by God’s grace, it is truly Him who will use me and speak through me!

***

Deacon Dan Burns

Deacon Dan Burns was ordained in 1998.  He and his wife Marianne have been married for 40 years and have two children and 5 grandchildren.  Dan is a spiritual director and retreat leader and is currently assigned to the Catholic Weymouth Collaborative of St. Jerome and Immaculate Conception Parishes.  In past years, Dan was a deacon at Holy Family Parish in Duxbury and served as the Director of Formation for the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Boston.  He has been a Research Scientist at MIT working in applied geophysics since 1994 and prior to that was on the faculty at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

***

Deacon Tim Donohue

Deacon Tim Donohue is assigned to Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury, Massachusetts.  He is a graduate of Holy Cross, a Navy Vietnam Veteran and retired in 2015 after working for 39 years in sales and marketing and management with different health care companies.  Deacon Tim and his wife Kathy have been married for 47 years and have four children and ten grandchildren. Deacon Tim works in the parish 2 days a week, is a Spiritual Director, an Ambassador and Global Fellow for Catholic Relief Services.