Dcn Greg Waybright

Although Greg Waybright comes from three generations of what he refers to as “country preachers,” he never saw himself in this role. His grandfather, great grandfather and an uncle were Baptist ministers who traveled to revivals to preach, something Deacon Waybright found interesting from the perspective of an observer.

Deacon Waybright became Catholic when he was 22 years old. “For the next 20 plus years I found myself in the pews listening to many homilies from some amazing priests and deacons and never really seeing myself in those roles but soaking it all in,” he said. He has been married to Theresa for 37 years and they have four children: Marc, 36; Jennifer Guton, 34; Jessica Golovin, 29; and Sara, 24. It was in his late 40s, faced with personal challenges, that life made little sense.

“I went through several heart conditions and was told on three separate occasions by cardiologists that there was no logical way they could explain why I was still here,” he said. “Then suddenly in late 2006 my father passed away after a very brief illness, right in front of me which shook me to my very foundation.” Two months later he almost lost his mother. “I began to question everything I thought I believed so firmly in including my faith,” he said.

“My mother had so many issues with her health and I suddenly found myself thrust into the role of a primary care giver having never realized what a saint my father really was as he kept all of this from us. I found my life suddenly unraveling around me and I was lost.” One morning at Mass at his home parish St. Pius X in Reynoldsburg, while struggling to gain his spiritual footing, Deacon Waybright, normally engrossed in the homily, was focused on an image of the Blessed Mother.

“I found myself pouring out my heart and all of the troubles and confusion in my life to our Blessed Mother, realizing at the very time I needed our Lord the most I had turned my back and was facing life on my own,” he said. “I suddenly felt surrounded by the loving warmth of her motherhood and the love and forgiveness of Jesus. I asked silently how I could be service to Him and be in some way a service to others I knew going through life’s many problems much like me.” Pursuing the deaconate became crystal clear in that moment.

God has put so many interesting people in my path over the last six years who have both helped me in this journey and ones that he has allowed me to help which has been quite humbling,” said Deacon Waybright. “I grew up with a single sister and now I feel like I truly have 16 brothers in my fellow deacons.”