Photo above from the Permanent Deacons’ annual retreat 2025. The retreat master last year was Fr Felix Medina, Ph.D. (Denver).
The faithful throughout the diocese are invited to lift up our deacons and Bishop Peter in prayer as they gather for their Annual Retreat from July 17–19, 2026.
The retreat will take place at the peaceful Holy Cross Retreat Center in Las Cruces, nestled in a scenic pecan grove with views of the Organ Mountains and operated by the Conventual Franciscan Friars. This beautiful setting will provide our deacons with a space for rest, reflection, and spiritual fraternity.
Meet the Retreat Master: Deacon Wally Calabrese
This year, the diocese welcomes Deacon Wally Calabrese from the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. Deacon Wally brings a unique and rich perspective to this year’s retreat:
Deacon Wally Calabrese is a deacon, husband, father, and grandfather who has spent his life in service to both his country and the Church. A retired United States Marine, he brings a deep understanding of sacrifice, discipline, and fidelity- realities that continue to shape his vocation as a deacon. Wally and his wife Amy have been married for over three decades. Together, they have raised their family through the challenges and blessings of military life, faith, and vocation. Their shared journey reflects a simple truth: the call to serve Christ is never lived in isolation, but within the communion of marriage and family. As an author and retreat leader, Deacon Wally focuses on helping others rediscover that the Christian life is not first about what we do, but who we are becoming in Christ. His work draws deeply from Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and lived experience, inviting individuals and communities into a deeper encounter with Christ the Servant. His book, Embodied in Service, Emboldened by Grace, explores the diaconate as a sacramental way of life rooted in Christ.
While much of his work supports deacons and those in formation, his retreats and parish missions speak more broadly to the call of every Christian: to live a life of service, rooted in love, sustained by grace.
Deacon Wally continues to serve the Church through preaching, teaching, and leading retreats, always with a desire to help others encounter Christ more deeply and live their vocation with clarity, unity, and purpose. He is with the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina.
A Prayer Request for the Diocese: Please keep Bishop Peter and our Deacons in your prayers as they gather for their Deacons’ Annual Retreat so that they can renew their spirit of service.
