2024 marks the 50th Jubilee of the Permanent Diaconate here in the Archdiocese of Denver. Through preaching, service, worship and prayer, deacons serve the people of God in unique ways through their various ministries and lives. This article is one of a series of articles the Denver Catholic will publish in 2024 which will feature local deacons and/or a diaconal ministry. There are many Deacon Saints who were martyred for their faith. In this year of Jubilee, the deacons of the Archdiocese of Denver are asking for prayers through the intercession of Saint Euplius of Cantania, deacon and martyr. Learn more about this Deacon Saint here.
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Mt 9:12). These words of Jesus, spoken in the company of sinners and outcasts, resonate deeply with Deacon Phil Harrington’s mission. For over thirty years, Deacon Harrington has followed Christ’s example, offering compassion and hope to those most in need, especially those battling addiction and homelessness.
Like the divine physician, Deacon Harrington has dedicated his life to serving people on the road to recovery. From his time as Vice President of Catholic Charities in Colorado Springs to his efforts with RecoveryWorks, a center helping the chronically homeless navigate complex systems to receive physical and mental health care as well as employment, housing and education support, he has been a beacon of mercy to those struggling to find their way.
Deacon Harrington’s journey was shaped by a deep desire to serve the Lord and help others. After spending a year in the seminary and eventually earning his degree as a lay student, Deacon Harrington spent 19 years working in law enforcement.
“I knew I wasn’t called to the priesthood, but there was a little booklet about the diaconate, and I definitely felt called to serve the Lord, so I always thought that the diaconate could be something I was interested in,” Deacon Harrington said.
While that call to service has taken many forms over the years, it is his ministry with those suffering from addiction and homelessness that has become his most profound expression of Christ’s mercy. For Deacon Harrington, the diaconate has been an opportunity to live out his own journey in a personal way.
“One of the ways that anyone who has been in recovery for a long time remains sober is by helping others,” Deacon Harrington explained, “and the diaconate gave me the opportunity to help others in their own recovery.”
With his heart rooted in service, Deacon Harrington soon found a way to make a lasting impact.
“I became involved in the recovery movement and founded a transitional housing program located in the Diocese of Pueblo for the chronically homeless, for alcoholics and for drug addicts,” Deacon Harrington shared. “Helping people with drug and alcohol issues on the road to sobriety has been a key part of my ministry.”
Deacon Harrington’s work is grounded in the understanding that those struggling with addiction need compassion, support and time to rediscover their self-worth.
“Anyone who has a chronic mental health issue cannot act in their own best interest, so someone else has to act for them until they can act in their own best interest. Someone has to love them until they can love themselves again,” he explained.
This ministry has also had a lasting impact on his family, particularly his children and grandchildren.
“The story I would want to be told is the effect the diaconate has had on my children and now my grandchildren,” Deacon Harrington said. “I have presided at all my daughters’ weddings, and now I’ve baptized all my grandchildren. So, they’ve grown up with this ministry and have always been very supportive of me.”
Though Deacon Harrington has served others in many capacities, his heart remains with those who are often overlooked by society: the addicted, the homeless and the lost.
“The deacon is the minister of charity. And the greatest thing for me has been to be a real help for our priests and help them care for the souls of his people,” he said.
Just as Jesus reached out to those in need of healing and mercy, Deacon Phil Harrington’s life of service reflects that same compassionate care for the spiritually and physically ill. His journey continues to inspire all who encounter him as he walks alongside those on the path to recovery and redemption.
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