Deacon Walter Middleton: Born to Serve

Johannesburg deacon Walter Middleton fulfilled a long-standing dream of writing his life story. He told us what motivated him.

On his ninth wedding anniversary on December 28, 1987, Walter Middleton made a list of what he still wanted to pursue or achieve in life. At #10 on that 12-point “bucket list” was the desire to one day publish his memoirs. In late 2020, the Johannesburg deacon could tick off #10 with the publication of his book Born To Serve (Write-On Publishing).

In his memoirs, the now 73-year-old charts his journey from poverty in his native India via Mozambique to South Africa, and tells of his work with two of the world’s largest humanitarian organisations, CARE and World Vision, where Deacon Middleton was responsible for feeding millions of poor and hungry people. “Several of my colleagues, friends and family members encouraged me to write my memoirs, to share my experience working in the humanitarian world, of feeding the poor and the hungry, so that others might learn and benefit from it,” he says.

“Born To Serve tells the story of a boy from a small village in India who was barely educated, and developed an obsession to create a world where every child is fed and hunger is not tolerated, and helped to save tens of millions of people around the globe to avoid starvation,” Middleton tells The Southern Cross. He received awards from the United Nations World Food Programme and the United States Department of Agriculture for his work. That part of his book, he says, is intended as “a guide for those embarking on a professional career in providing humanitarian assistance to those most in need in our world. I have also provided some case studies and best practices, based on experience.”

Another feature of Born To Serve is a witness to the Catholic faith. “I have included some quotations, tips, Bible references, and a chapter on Our Lady of Vailankanni. I hope readers of the book will be spiritually and mentally inspired by them, as I’ve been,” said the deacon who has met two popes (that, too, was on the “bucket list”, as was becoming a deacon).

The Middleton family came from Mozambique to South Africa 25 years ago. Walter is a deacon at St Patrick’s parish in La Rochelle, Johannesburg. This is home now, he says. “The ‘Rainbow Nation’ has its challenges, but having travelled to over 75 countries around the world, I would say South Africa has more pros than cons. South Africa is definitely the last station in my life. God willing, from here I will go to my eternal home.”

Life of a deacon

Serving as a deacon is “a tremendous blessing”, Middleton says. One chapter in his book is devoted to his journey to the permanent diaconate. “As a deacon, I act as the bridge between the altar and the street. As a married man, I am ideally suited to perform this role, with one foot at the altar and the other in the street. My mission is to bring Christ from the sanctuary to everyday men and women in the community.

“I enjoy doing the work of the Lord, and this I do by taking Holy Communion to the sick and house-bound, assisting the parish priest with Communion services, doing Benediction and memorial services for the deceased when the priest is unavailable, blessings of homes, administering the sacrament of baptism, giving homilies from time to time, assisting at the altar during Mass, and preparing couples who plan to get married, and running baptism preparation classes.”

As a parishioner, the deacon coordinates the parish’s various works of charity. “This includes organising events to raise funds for our charity work, assisting with the soup kitchens, and distributing food parcels to the poor and needy. I also coordinate the work of the sewing class where we train migrants, refugees, and local women in all aspects of sewing so that they can feed their families.”

He says that if the Church were to allow married clergy, he would like to be a priest, but only if that didn’t interfere with his roles as husband, father and grandfather. For Middleton, family is very important. And he urges families to pray together.

Advice for families

Asked to offer advice to young families, the words of wisdom keep coming: “Make time for your kids. Always encourage and praise each other. Set limits and be consistent with discipline. Be firm but flexible. Be a good role model. Show that your love is unconditional. Let your wants be subject to your needs and your means — in other words, live within your means. Always entrust your work to the Lord — you will never fail. Work hard, always have a positive attitude, and be sincere and honest in all you do. Finally, make life more enjoyable for the less fortunate through service and charitable giving.”

And there must be time for leisure. In his free time, Middleton loves to cook and bake. The avid Southern Cross reader recalled that he marked his mother’s birthday in July by baking a St Anthony’s Bread from the recipe in the “Cooking With Saints” column. Out of the kitchen, he likes to ride his Harley Davidson motorbike, play the saxophone, and grow vegetables in his garden. “And most importantly,” he adds, “spending time with my three adorable grandchildren!”

After a lifetime working in the field of feeding the poor, Middleton thinks world hunger is solvable — “provided there is a strong commitment from world leaders”. He explains: “Today the challenge is not only about volumes of production but also inequitable food system patterns from the field to the plate. Some people suffer from overconsumption while others are going to bed hungry. This is gross inequality, and I believe this can be addressed if less money is spent on arms and ammunition and more on fighting global hunger and improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable. Hunger can indeed be avoided.”

Born To Serve was reviewed by Günther Simmermacher  HERE.
To order Born To Serve, call 082 561-1352 or 084 042-6218 or email

This article was published in the September issue of the Southern Cross magazine