Deacon Rainwater, SJ, ordained to the diaconate

Deacon Conan Rainwater, SJ, was ordained a deacon on Sept. 20 at the Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He grew up in Bismarck, but his parents moved to Fargo about ten years ago and are currently parishioners of Sts. Anne & Joachim Parish. There were eight other Jesuits who were ordained with Deacon Rainwater to the transitional diaconate by the Most Reverend Richard G. Henning, Archbishop of Boston.  

One highlight for Deacon Rainwater was the Litany of Saints. Lying prostrate on the ground is an uncommon and humbling position. Praying the Litany of Saints reminds us of the connection between the holy saints and the people of God here on earth. In his homily, Archbishop Henning spoke about this, saying that as deacons, we need to “understand the magnitude of the centrality of this moment, when you will lie down on the floor, dying to self, and give just yourself, just your heart to God, and trust that the Lord will receive that gift and make of it a part of his plan for salvation.” So often, we feel we have to give our accomplishments or trophies to God, when at the end of the day, God just wants ourselves, our heart.  

After graduation from the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry with a Master in Divinity and a Master of Theology in May 2026, Deacon Rainwater will be ordained a Jesuit priest in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 13, 2026. Starting August 2026, he will be one of the two vocation promoters for the Midwest Jesuit Province.