Permanent Diaconate celebrates 50 years

Deacons and their wives contribute to the vitality of the Church at the 2018 Diaconate Congress in New Orleans at the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the permanent diaconate as an active, permanent order of ministry in the Church in the U.S. Representing the Diocese of Corpus Christi in the back row, from left, are Deacon Bill and Sofia Boostroom, Deacon Michael and Elva Mantz, Deacon Ron and Olivia Martinez, Deacon Bob and Genny Allen and Deacon Hector and Diana Salinas. In the front row are Deacon Paul and Gloria Moore.

Contributed photo
 

The 2018 Diaconate Congress, held in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 22-26, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the permanent diaconate as an active, permanent order of ministry in the Church in the U.S.

“Permanent deacons have shown themselves to be able co-workers with their bishops, priests and lay faithful in many dimensions of ecclesial life, wrote Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., in his letter of congratulations to the Congress, “including apostolic works; sacramental preparation, administrative and financial matters; hospital and prison chaplaincy; and many other important ministries.

“With generosity, permanent deacons have served as men of communion modeling Christ the servant, to those at the peripheries especially to the poor, carrying out my mission in this country,” Archbishop Pierre said. “I have seen the vast network of permanent deacons contributing to the vitality of the Church, making God’s love known through humble service.”

Deacons and wives from across the U.S. as well as Europe, South America and other parts of the globe were part of the 2,600 people in attendance. They were treated to presenters from such dignitaries as Cardinal Joseph Wm. Tobin, Archbishop from the of the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ and Cardinal Daniel Dinardo, Archbishop from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). 

The crowd also listened to Bishops Gregory Aymond, Fredrick Campbell, Shawn McKnight, Gerald Kicanes and Samuel Aquila. 

There are more than 18,000 deacons in the U.S. and that amounts to about 50% of all permanent deacons worldwide. This is an amazing statistic considering that the U.S. has only about 6% of all worldwide Catholics.

Currently, there are 100 deacons in the Diocese of Corpus Christi: 73 are active and serving in their ministries, and 27 are retired, semi-retired, or inactive due to health or personal issues. There are also 13 men in formation with a tentative ordination date scheduled for the latter part of 2020.

Deacons in the U.S. come from all walks and professions in life with a full spectrum of educational backgrounds. Locally, there are representatives from the medical and legal profession as well as educators, engineers, accountants, tax professionals, appraisers, builders and many more. These men have varying levels of education. Most have college degrees, several have master’s degrees and some hold doctorates.

The majority are married with children and grandchildren. Most deacons have parish assignments with some also having an additional diocesan assignment. Deacons are more than just functionaries at Mass.

At ordination deacons become clerics (clergymen) in the order of deacon. As clerics, they receive faculties from the local ordinary (bishop). Faculties for deacons are: to take part in liturgical functions assigned to a deacon in the approved liturgical books; to baptize children under the age of seven; to give holy Communion; to administer viaticum; to give Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament; to preside at funeral and burial rites; to proclaim the Gospel; to preach and to instruct the faithful; and to witness marriages and to impart blessings in accord with the norms in the liturgical books.

In the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Bishop Michael Mulvey expects his deacons to bring the good news to the peripheries of the diocese and to be in touch with those on the “outer rim” of our society. A deacon should contact and minister to those who normally are forgotten. 

At a recent convocation for deacons, Bishop Mulvey expressed his feelings that deacons need to be more than parish ministers. He said, "deacons need to think out of the box." Bishop Mulvey expects deacons to share in his own apostolic and pastoral ministry to care for the faithful of the diocese. The deacons of this diocese need to consider themselves as missionary deacons.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, a theologian, from Rottenburg, Germany has written that priests and deacons are like “the two arms of the bishop.” I think this is significant, because in 1968, Rottenburg, Germany was one of the first cities worldwide to ordain men to the permanent diaconate.

Deacons should be comfortable and fully aware of the three-fold diaconal duties: minister of the Word, minister of the altar (sacrament) and minister of charity. All three of these should be fully integrated into the life of the deacon.

The deacon should be competent in all of these diaconal ministries and not ignore one or two to just concentrate on the other. Some deacons may have a gift to preach or to visit the sick, or be prison ministers. Some may have an aptitude to serve at the altar or plan liturgies. There is nothing wrong with having a strength, but deacons should be able to handle all aspects of their diaconal ministry with competence. 

One has to “walk the walk.” A deacon’s ministry of charity inevitably leads to being able to deliver God’s word with charisma and conviction and to truly be his humble servant at the Eucharistic celebration.

The service ministry of the deacon has its foundation in a solid and authentic prayer and interior life. A fruitful diaconate ministry springs forth from a steady and deepening life of prayer. The permanent diaconate continues to grow nation-wide as well as in the diocese of Corpus Christi. Since 2008, the Diocese of Corpus Christi has ordained over 50 deacons. The restored diaconate has come a long way in a very short time–both in this diocese and in our country.