Deacon Arthur Powers

Arthur Powers grew up in Evanston, Illinois, the son and grandson of classical musicians. He is a graduate of Shimer College (a "Great Books" school) and Harvard Law School, and (much later in life) earned a Ph.D. in Natural Resources Policy from the University of New Hampshire. He was raised in a very loving, unchurched Protestant home, and was baptized into the Catholic Church when he was 29. 

In 1969 he moved to Brazil to serve with the Peace Corps; serving until 1973. While there he met his wife, Brenda, who was also a Peace Corps volunteer. Together they lived in Brazil for more than 30 years, including seven years as Franciscan/Maryknoll Lay Missioners in the Brazilian Amazon (Tocantins). Brenda is a community organizer and pastoral minister, with a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola/Chicago. Arthur and Brenda have two daughters, Ana Cristina and Angelica, whom they adopted in Brazil.

Currently, Arthur is Vice President & General Counsel of JPS Interoperability Solutions, Inc., a small Raleigh based business that designs and manufactures life-saving communications equipment, primarily for first responders. He is a co-founder and former vice president of the Catholic Writers Guild and has published award-winning fiction and poetry. He is an Advocate for the Diocesan Tribunal, volunteers with the Catholic Charities' immigration program, and serves on the boards of several Catholic nonprofits. 

Arthur was ordained a Deacon in June, 2020. A guiding scripture passage for him is John 15:4.