When he became the primary caregiver of his wife of 35 years,
Deacon Bill Korpi, 62, learned a lot about fully living out
his marriage vows – “for better or for worse, in sickness and
in health.” It was while his wife was on her death bed after
suffering 18 years from complications of multiple sclerosis
that he began contemplating another sacrament – holy orders.
“I began to feel moving in my soul, a strong desire to devote
the rest of my life to ministry in the Church,” he said.
He told his ailing wife what he was contemplating. Although
at that point she was unable to speak, she blinked her eyes
indicating that she understood. It gave him the peace to move
in that direction after she died in 2003.
After a discernment period, Deacon Korpi applied for studies
for the priesthood. Now, five years later, he will join two
others this Saturday when he is ordained a priest for the
Arlington Diocese.
“God handed me an opportunity that I thought I would never
have had the chance to do,” he said. It was an “urge from God
to be of service in this ministry,” Deacon Korpi said.
A native of Dowagaic, Mich., Deacon Korpi grew up in a
Lutheran family and spent one year of high school in a
Lutheran seminary. Feeling that he was not being called to
that ministry, he returned to his public high school. After
graduation, he joined the Army and met a Catholic priest. He
started asking many questions and taking instruction from the
priest and in 1964 he came into the Church.
While Deacon Korpi always felt called to ministry and was
involved in Church activities, he also strongly felt called
to marriage. He and his wife, Vincenza, raised a son,
Michael, who now lives in Falls Church and who will be at the
ordination Saturday.
Following promptings in prayer, Deacon Korpi felt called to
apply to study for the permanent diaconate. He was accepted
and after formal studies was ordained in 1988. The
parishioner of St. James Church in Falls Church served for 10
years at St. Philip Church in Falls Church and eight years at
Nativity Parish in Burke.
Before entering to the seminary, a young girl in a religious
education class asked him what took God so long to call him
to be a priest. He explained to her that God wanted him to be
ordained now and not 30 years ago. “Those 30 years and the
events I experienced in my life before were part of my
preparation to become a priest. Without them, I would not be
ready,” he said.
He was sent by the diocese to Blessed John XXIII Seminary in
Westin, Mass., where he joined many other “second vocation”
men studying for the priesthood. Many had their children and
grandchildren visiting them in the seminary, he said. While
studying for the priesthood he spent his summers and
Christmas breaks serving at Sacred Heart in Winchester, All
Saints in Manassas, and most recently at St. Agnes in
Arlington.
Caring for his wife during her illness, the future priest
grew to love serving the sick, and now that his ordination is
imminent, he looks forward to being able to administer the
anointing of the sick and serving those who suffer. Deacon
Korpi also looks forward to continuing to serve the young
people in the parishes.
Two other aspects of the priesthood that he is eager about,
he said, is celebrating Mass – “bringing Christ’s body and
blood” – and offering the sacrament of confession – “bringing
God’s mercy.”
The concept of a deacon is to “be the servant of the people
God,” he said. As a priest, he will still have that role. He
will always be a deacon, he said. “I think that my becoming a
priest will allow me to experience the fullness of the
ministry.”
