St. Michael the Archangel

by Patti Sowpel

In this article you will have a chance to meet Subdeacon Joe Boruch. He is the tall man you see helping Father Ben on the altar. Joe grew up in Prospect, CT. He was an engineer by trade and worked for an insurance company helping corporate clients around the country with safety-related issues. Retiring recently, Joe and his wife Annie moved to the Cape full-time. They have had a home in Brewster for over 30 years.

When their son Joseph was a young boy, he was an altar server at their home parish in Waterbury CT, and the priest there asked Joe to help supervise the younger children on the altar. He was tonsured as a Reader by Bishop Nikon (Blessed Memory). Joe’s humility and love of serving the Lord eventually led to being ordained a Subdeacon. Subdeacons are the highest level of the minor orders in the Orthodox Church. Their duties include caring for the altar area, coordinating the servers and their activities, training new servers, and other duties as required. As the head server, the Subdeacon assists the bishop when he is presiding. Other than a Priest or a deacon, Subdeacons are the only people allowed to touch the altar table (for cleaning, changing covers etc). As with Priests, Ordained Subdeacons cannot marry. Fortunately Joe and Annie married before he was ordained! In a church setting they are addressed by their title – for example Subdeacon Joseph. Outside of church they are usually called by just their first name i.e. Joe.

Subdeacon Joseph describes his service on the altar as ‘very rewarding’. He says one of his main responsibilities is helping keep things organized and flowing so Fr. Ben can focus on the service. His goal is to ‘time things so that the servers are waiting on the Priest, not the Priest waiting on the servers’. His dedication and selflessness are an example to the other servers and help keep the service reverent for the glory of God and the parishioners.

Subdeacon Joseph learned this at an early age. His grandparents came to the United States through New York City then Bridgeport CT. His grandmother was from Poland (Catholic) and his grandfather was from Russia (Orthodox). As a young boy Joe and his family attended church regularly, and some of his greatest memories include sharing a traditional Slavic Christmas Eve dinner and attending midnight mass afterwards. Joe’s other grandparents were both Polish and he recalls celebrating Christmas on December 25th and visiting his grandfather for Russian Christmas in January.

Joe learned from his mother the power of faith. She lost 2 babies and her husband at an early age. Through this her faith remained strong as she went on to serve as a grief counselor in her parish. Joe continues to pass along these values to his son Joseph and adored granddaughter Stella. Five years ago Joe underwent emergency open-heart surgery for a tumor. He attributes his recovery and subsequent good health to God. Each year he celebrates his ‘rebirth’ on December 28th ( the day of his surgery).

Joe met the love of his life Annie on a blind date. They were married a year later shortly after he converted to Orthodoxy from Catholicism. Annie had grown up attending The Nativity Of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church in Waterbury CT which became their own family church.

When not serving our parish as a Subdeacon, Joe enjoys boating, fishing, (especially for Bluefin Tuna), and sports car racing. He builds his own cars including engines, machining, and welding. He has used these talents to manufacture some needed items within our church.

Subdeacon Joseph’s advice is to ‘pray constantly’. The Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” is an excellent prayer to use. “While I have not yet achieved constant prayer,” he says, “it is something that I strive for.” He also points to the importance of attending Liturgy regularly in order to receive Communion, hear the Gospel (good news), to thank God through song and prayers, and be around other Orthodox Christians. While in-person attendance may not be possible for everyone during this pandemic, Subdeacon Joseph encourages everyone who cannot come – to participate through the YouTube broadcast.