What Are You Looking For? Part 2: The Liturgy and the Sacraments

The Sacrament of Holy Orders: Deacons

The Sacrament of Holy Orders: Deacons

            We have come to the third degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders, that of the deacon.  There are two types of deacons within the Catholic Church.  The first is the transitional deacon.  These are men who are preparing for the priesthood.  The second is the permanent deacon.  The permanent deaconate is what we’ll be looking at.

            The permanent deaconate is first mentioned in the book of Acts.  “At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.  So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.  Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’”  (Acts 6: 1-4)  Among those appointed was St. Stephen, who also has the distinction of being the first Christian martyr.

            In this passage, we see what the role of the deacon is.  He is to assist the priests and bishops in carrying out the work of their ministry.  They assist at Mass, they read the Gospel readings and preach, they assist during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, they assist at and bless marriages and preside over funerals, as well as many different charitable works.  In essence, they are an extra set of hands and feet for the priest and/or bishops, doing whatever tasks are assigned to them, that aren’t exclusively reserved for the priest and/or bishop.

            Unlike those ordained as priests and bishops, a permanent deacon can be married, however his wife die, then he must remain celibate.  Under special circumstances, he may be granted permission to re-marry, but this is extremely rare.  However, just like the priests and bishops, permanent deacons are ordained ministers, but their ministry is one of service to those ordained to ministerial participation. 

            The Church needs her deacons.  Indeed, she needs even more deacons than she currently has.  The deaconate is not a lesser ministry than the priesthood, but a vital ordained ministry within the Church.  In a parish that is blessed with permanent deacons, the priest’s workload is lessened, because he doesn’t have to be everywhere doing everything.  He doesn’t have to teach every class, or baptize every infant.  He doesn’t have to do all of the paperwork required for the Church.  The deacon can do a lot of it.  This enables the priests to carry out the work of the ministry that only they can do. 

            The deacons also carry out charitable works.  They still do the same works that the very first deacons in the book of Acts did.  They help take care of the widows and the orphans.  They visit the prisons and are involved in ministering to those who are there.  They do what they have always been called to do, what they have been ordained to do.  They serve.  They serve wherever they are needed; doing whatever is requested of them.  They aren’t always front and center the way a priest or a bishop is, yet both the priest and the bishop are more effective in fulfilling their vocations as priest and bishop when they are assisted by deacons who are faithfully fulfilling their vocations as permanent deacons.