North Texas deacon, vice chancellor called to military service

Published: 2005-06-24

TYLER, Texas (CNS) -- Serving the church as a deacon and the Diocese of Tyler as vice chancellor does not preclude Deacon Ruben Natera from serving his country as a commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. And come early July, he will be serving on active duty when he is deployed to Kuwait. He will be gone for eight months to a year, working on facilities construction. Though he is a member of the Seabees, or Naval Construction Force, he is being deployed as part of a joint task force. He will be working with personnel from the various other military branches under the command of the U.S. Army. Despite persistent reports of violence and instability in the region, Deacon Natera said he is excited about going. As an American Catholic, he is also keenly aware that he will be living and working in a part of the world where neither Christians nor Americans are particularly popular right now.

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