Deacon Wayne Matthews, longtime church leader and scientist, dies at 81

Deacon Wayne Matthews, whose ministry in the Archdiocese of Baltimore strengthened parish life and expanded outreach programs across Western Maryland, died Aug. 28 at age 81. 

A permanent deacon, scientist and educator, he was known for bringing the same dedication to his church assignments that marked his long career in public service and academia.

Deacon Matthews was ordained a permanent deacon in 1992 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption in Baltimore. His early ministry in the archdiocese included service at Holy Family Catholic Community in Middletown, where he became known for his energy, pastoral presence and ability to draw parishioners into deeper involvement.

Deacon George Sisson, who was a parishioner at the time, said Deacon Matthews arrived at Holy Family when the parish was still young and without a permanent worship space.

“He was very active in a very young parish,” Deacon Sisson said. “He was a big help. He recruited me to be a lector and to distribute Communion, and he recruited my wife to begin teaching religious education. He was good at getting people involved.”

Deacon Matthews’ influence extended beyond parish ministries. At Holy Family, he helped establish the St. Teresa of Kolkata Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and served as its first spiritual advisor. The conference continues to operate today across the Pastorate of St. Francis-St. Mary and Holy Family serving Brunswick, Petersville and Middletown.

His leadership also shaped diocesan planning. Deacon Matthews served as consultor to Bishop John H. Ricard, S.S.J., and chaired the Permanent Deacon Personnel Board, assisting with parish mergers and training facilitators to guide communities through transitions. His final assignment before retirement was in Western Maryland.

Due to relocating for his career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Deacon Matthews’ diaconal service reached far beyond the state. He served in the Archdiocese of San Juan at Stella Maris Catholic Church, where he was responsible for diaconal ministry to the English-speaking community. He later ministered in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia, serving at St. Joseph Parish in Martinsburg while directing diocesan planning efforts.

Deacon Sisson said Deacon Matthews’ example played a direct role in his own vocation.

“He was a real inspiration to me in making my own decision to apply for the diaconate,” he said. “I saw how he carried on his ministry and still had a family life. That was really important to me.”

Beyond his church work, Deacon Matthews built a distinguished career as a scientist and federal public servant. After earning degrees in microbiology, he contributed early research toward treatments for schistosomiasis, an acute and chronic parasitic disease caused by blood flukes, at the University of Chicago. At the FDA, his work helped make childhood vaccinations safer by uncovering the immunological nature of adverse responses.

Deacon Matthews later earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California and held leadership roles across multiple FDA bureaus, including Biologics, Drugs and Compliance. He served as director of policy analysis in the Office of the Commissioner and as special advisor to several commissioners. His tenure included directing the FDA’s San Juan District, where he established the Caribbean Interagency Regulatory and Law Enforcement Group to strengthen coordination among federal and territorial agencies.

He also taught graduate courses in strategic and global management at universities including George Mason, the University of Denver and the University of Maryland Global Campus, and provided organizational development services through his business, Matthews & Associates.

In a family obituary, Deacon Matthews’ loved ones said his diaconate was “a gift from God” and an expression of his belief that a meaningful life is lived in service.

“He felt honored to utilize God-given gifts in service that simultaneously enriched his life in ways that left him feeling he received much more than he gave,” they wrote.

Deacon Matthews is survived by his wife, Ingrid, four children and seven grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was offered Sept. 10 at St. Leo Catholic Church in Inwood, W.Va. 

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