Role Of Deacons....

[Cam42]

[quote]Permanent deacons should not preach at Mass often. Rather, they should preach at other services and serve the Church in the course of their daily witness to Christ, Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette, Mich. has said in a new pastoral letter on the deacon’s role in the Catholic Church. Bishop Sample’s 19-page letter, titled “The Deacon: Icon of Jesus Christ the Servant,” cited the principle that the one who presides at a liturgical service or who is the principal celebrant at Mass should also give the homily.

“This should be the ordinary practice,” he said.

Deacons should preach the homily at Mass “for some identifiable advantage for the faithful in the congregation, but not on a regular basis,” the bishop wrote.

He said deacons have the opportunity to preach in other contexts, such as at wake services, funeral and wedding liturgies outside of Mass, baptisms, liturgies of the Word, during the Liturgy of the Hours and during Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest.

Bishop Sample noted that a deacon also “preaches” through “the witness of his life, especially in his marriage and family life,” as well as in his secular work and his role as a teacher.

The deacon’s ministry in the liturgy is not the “heart” of his service. Rather, he is called especially to serve the bishop by caring for the many works of charity “especially suited” to him, most often under the direction of his local pastor.

Although the deacon is ordained to teach and preach the Word of God, “the most effective preaching he does is through the witness of his life in loving service to the most needy among us,” Bishop Sample wrote in a column summarizing the pastoral letter.

The Bishop of Marquette had stopped accepting new deacon candidates until a study of their role had been completed.

In his letter, he announced that a man will not be ordained simply to “be the deacon” at a particular parish or mission. Instead, there must be “a specifically identified need in the community” recognized by the bishop in consultation with the local pastor. This follows the scriptural example of the early Church, where the Apostles chose deacons to minister to the needs of widows so that the Apostles would be free to pray and preach the Word of God.

In the Diocese of Marquette the prospective deacon will now need to have “a particular service ministry” for which he will be ordained, such as service as a catechist or in care for the poor, the sick, the elderly or the imprisoned.

This change will reflect the fact that a deacon’s primary ministry is “not in the sanctuary but in the service of charity.”

“I express my deep gratitude to my deacon brothers for their selfless service to God’s people in the image of Christ the Servant,” Bishop Sample said. “Let us pray for them and support them as they care for the special children of God among us.”

[/quote]

[url="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/deacons-should-preach-less-at-mass-michigan-bishop-says/"]source[/url]
[url="http://www.dioceseofmarquette.org/images/DiaconatePastoralLetter2011FullText.pdf"]THE DEACON: ICON OF JESUS CHRIST THE SERVANT[/url]

I think that His Excellency has hit this right on the head....

[CatherineM]

I wish we had some here.

[Cam42]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1308696562' post='2257026']
I wish we had some here.
[/quote]

If they are ministering according to Bishop Sample's model, you betcha...

[BG45]

I think the only Deacon I've ever seen as a Catholic was a transitional Deacon.

[BigJon16]

My spiritual director is a permanent deacon.

[Cam42]

[quote name='BigJon16' timestamp='1308713529' post='2257153']
My spiritual director is a permanent deacon.
[/quote]

Honest question.....

You're in seminary, right? How can a person who does not have the Ontological character of the priesthood counsel you on being a priest? It' not like a priest counseling a married couple, because there is no Ontological change....

I had a permanent deacon who was originally assigned to me when I was in seminary. I immediately sought out a good and holy priest who remained my spiritual director until he became a bishop....a very good choice.

I would seriously consider looking into finding a priest as a spiritual director the closer you get to ordination....just my opinion.

[MithLuin]

Woah, time out - deacons are ordained!

While I certainly understand wishing to have a priest as a spiritual director (that's who I seek out....), disqualifying deacons because they don't have the ontological change of ordination...isn't true. I mean, yes, they aren't priests. But seminarians make their vow of celibacy at their ordination [i]to the diaconate[/i]. If, for whatever reason, a diocese ordains a man as a transitional deacon and then decides later not to ordain him to the priesthood and kick him out of the program, he's not exactly free to go back to his normal everyday life. He's not free to marry. When a married man is ordained to the permanent diaconate, he also promises that, in the event of widowhood, he will not remarry. Permanent deacons make a conditional vow of celibacy at the time they are ordained (and partly for this reason, most bishops wouldn't ordain a married man to the diaconate without his wife's full support). Why? Because an ordained man [i]can't[/i] marry. The ontological change of ordination (which makes ordination an impediment to marriage) happens at the ordination to the [i]diaconate.[/i]

I agree that the story of how deacons came about in the New Testament makes it clear that their role is more pastoral than liturgical. Marriage prep, baptism prep, visiting the home bound...all these roles leading up to weddings, baptisms and funerals are very much pastoral and the work of the Church and tailor-made for deacons, as it were. Deacons-as-chaplains (for hospitals or prisons, for example) makes sense for the same reason. The pastor likely does not have the time to be as involved in all of these activities, and the deacons are meant as helpers to share the burden and free the priest up for the sacraments. Sacramentally, deacons can only do what any Catholic [i]could[/i] do - baptize or witness a marriage (where the couple actually performs the sacrament), though obviously it's a lot more appropriate for deacons to do these things than lay people.

So, question: is spiritual direction more pastoral, or more liturgical? For this reason, I think that deacons-as-spiritual-directors makes perfect sense. Now, obviously the individual deacon might be lousy at that, and if there are priests available, go for it! But if your spiritual director can't seem to make time for you because he's too busy being the pastor of a parish....maybe considering a deacon as a spiritual director would be the way to go!

Now, when my father was in formation with the diocese to become a deacon, his spiritual director was a priest. So, you know, there's nothing wrong with that . And if you are in training to become a priest, finding a good priest to serve as your spiritual director can be a very good thing. After all, they know more about what you are going through in seminary and what you will face when you become a priest for that diocese than most other people. It's good advice, but [i]that's[/i] the reason I would give for it.


There are roles for the deacon at mass. If the deacon is present, he should be the one to proclaim the gospel, not the presider. And he has some 'lines' of course, like the 'Go in peace...' at the end. I would be very sad if someone tried to take these liturgical roles away from ordained deacons.

As for the homily thing....you don't become good at giving homilies without practice. If deacons are seldom giving homilies at Sunday mass, they might very well be giving [i]lousy[/i] homilies at weddings and funerals. That wouldn't do! Their pastor may not be present for these other events, so having the deacon give the Sunday homily once a month while the priest sits on the altar and listens to him....gives the entire process a sense of oversight that would otherwise be lacking. I know that when my father was placed at a parish as a deacon-in-training, he was asked to give reflections after communion during the morning mass often (well, once a week), because these were his 'practice' homilies. Some people may be 'naturals' at this sort of thing - preparing speeches, public speaking, reflecting on the Bible readings, what have you. But not my dad! He's an engineer by training, and it shows. His first homilies were very painful to listen to, and I'm his daughter, so I already love him and agree with what he's saying. Now, three years later, he's getting much better. His homily at Good Friday this year was lightyears better than his first attempts.

A seasoned deacon might not need the practice or the oversight, but allowing a new deacon to give homilies (but never when his pastor was around) might not be the wisest course of action. Also, whether people like it or not, you will always hear parishioners remark that they like when the deacons talk about their kids in the homilies. I've known priests who do the same (two were widowers, one was an Anglican convert), but obviously your average priest does not have children of his own, and refers back to his own childhood or his nieces and nephews for such anecdotes. It's not necessary, but it is a helpful and unique connection to allow the deacon to draw meanings from the gospel into the present and everyday life of the people of the parish. Sure, it wouldn't be right to use deacons every week, so there I agree with the bishop, but I don't think it need be a 'rare' occurrence, either.


It sounds like Bishop Sample is overhauling the entire formation program for permanent deacons, so hopefully the new system will be better than the old! But I hope he does not delay accepting new candidates for [i]too[/i] long. Not assigning the men to their home parish is a wise move - it's hard to be a prophet in your hometown, and you can minister better if you enter with an attitude of serving the wider church community and not just going back to your home parish and what you 'know' already. That has improved the permanent diaconate in my archdiocese, anyway, so I'm glad they're considering it at Marquette, as well.

[quote]The early Church was conscious of a public need that somehow had to be met. This was a work of charity and administration, in caring for some of the widows who felt themselves neglected in the sharing of the charitable resources of the rapidly growing community of believers. It is a work that through the centuries has been amplified from service at the table of charity to include service at the table of the Eucharist and a ministry of the word of God.

The role of permanent deacons, as introduced in this chapter from the Book of Acts, had been neglected in the Western Church for many centuries. The Second Vatican Council saw it as a sacramental gift from the God the Universal Church should use again. Thirty-two years have passed since the first Permanent Deacons were ordained for service here.

They, and all Permanent Deacons, can see in our ordination liturgy today a renewed call to live worthy lives, holy lives, willing in faith to embrace the will of the Holy Spirit in all they do. In this also they express their love for their brothers and sisters as they seek to meet their spiritual and temporal needs.

The gift of the Spirit they receive in ordination is God’s work, but they must, with the grace of God, bring themselves to savor this gift. They must make time for daily prayer before the Lord, so as to enter into a deeper communion with the source of every grace. Their participation in the Eucharist, their dependence on prayer to Mary, the Mother of God, their love of her Son in the Blessed Sacrament, their faithful praying of the Liturgy of the Hours: all this is part of the prayer that will win God’s blessing. Penance, daily penance, spiritual self-discipline is also a part of their calling as disciples of the Lord, who said, "If anyone wishes to be my disciple, he must take up his cross daily and follow me."

Of special importance is the witness they give in their state in life. For those who are married, their mutual fidelity is an enormous grace in our society, so confused and forgetful of the teachings of the Lord. It is, in fact, only in the self-giving love between husband and wife that human sexuality finds its full, legitimate expression. God grant that their example may be a blessing for others.[/quote]

From Cardinal Keeler's homily at the ordination of permanent deacons in 2003 [url=http://www.archbalt.org/about-us/our-bishops/cardinal-keeler/Homilies/5-17-03.cfm](source)[/url]

Edited June 22, 2011 by MithLuin

[Cam42]

[quote name='MithLuin' timestamp='1308764209' post='2257300']
Woah, time out - deacons are ordained!

While I certainly understand wishing to have a priest as a spiritual director (that's who I seek out....), disqualifying deacons because they don't have the ontological change of ordination...isn't true. I mean, yes, they aren't priests. But seminarians make their vow of celibacy at their ordination [i]to the diaconate[/i]. If, for whatever reason, a diocese ordains a man as a transitional deacon and then decides later not to ordain him to the priesthood and kick him out of the program, he's not exactly free to go back to his normal everyday life. He's not free to marry. When a married man is ordained to the permanent diaconate, he also promises that, in the event of widowhood, he will not remarry. Permanent deacons make a conditional vow of celibacy at the time they are ordained (and partly for this reason, most bishops wouldn't ordain a married man to the diaconate without his wife's full support). Why? Because an ordained man [i]can't[/i] marry. The ontological change of ordination (which makes ordination an impediment to marriage) happens at the ordination to the [i]diaconate.[/i]

I agree that the story of how deacons came about in the New Testament makes it clear that their role is more pastoral than liturgical. Marriage prep, baptism prep, visiting the home bound...all these roles leading up to weddings, baptisms and funerals are very much pastoral and the work of the Church and tailor-made for deacons, as it were. Deacons-as-chaplains (for hospitals or prisons, for example) makes sense for the same reason. The pastor likely does not have the time to be as involved in all of these activities, and the deacons are meant as helpers to share the burden and free the priest up for the sacraments. Sacramentally, deacons can only do what any Catholic [i]could[/i] do - baptize or witness a marriage (where the couple actually performs the sacrament), though obviously it's a lot more appropriate for deacons to do these things than lay people.

So, question: is spiritual direction more pastoral, or more liturgical? For this reason, I think that deacons-as-spiritual-directors makes perfect sense. Now, obviously the individual deacon might be lousy at that, and if there are priests available, go for it! But if your spiritual director can't seem to make time for you because he's too busy being the pastor of a parish....maybe considering a deacon as a spiritual director would be the way to go!

Now, when my father was in formation with the diocese to become a deacon, his spiritual director was a priest. So, you know, there's nothing wrong with that . And if you are in training to become a priest, finding a good priest to serve as your spiritual director can be a very good thing. After all, they know more about what you are going through in seminary and what you will face when you become a priest for that diocese than most other people. It's good advice, but [i]that's[/i] the reason I would give for it.


There are roles for the deacon at mass. If the deacon is present, he should be the one to proclaim the gospel, not the presider. And he has some 'lines' of course, like the 'Go in peace...' at the end. I would be very sad if someone tried to take these liturgical roles away from ordained deacons.

As for the homily thing....you don't become good at giving homilies without practice. If deacons are seldom giving homilies at Sunday mass, they might very well be giving [i]lousy[/i] homilies at weddings and funerals. That wouldn't do! Their pastor may not be present for these other events, so having the deacon give the Sunday homily once a month while the priest sits on the altar and listens to him....gives the entire process a sense of oversight that would otherwise be lacking. I know that when my father was placed at a parish as a deacon-in-training, he was asked to give reflections after communion during the morning mass often (well, once a week), because these were his 'practice' homilies. Some people may be 'naturals' at this sort of thing - preparing speeches, public speaking, reflecting on the Bible readings, what have you. But not my dad! He's an engineer by training, and it shows. His first homilies were very painful to listen to, and I'm his daughter, so I already love him and agree with what he's saying. Now, three years later, he's getting much better. His homily at Good Friday this year was lightyears better than his first attempts.

A seasoned deacon might not need the practice or the oversight, but allowing a new deacon to give homilies (but never when his pastor was around) might not be the wisest course of action. Also, whether people like it or not, you will always hear parishioners remark that they like when the deacons talk about their kids in the homilies. I've known priests who do the same (two were widowers, one was an Anglican convert), but obviously your average priest does not have children of his own, and refers back to his own childhood or his nieces and nephews for such anecdotes. It's not necessary, but it is a helpful and unique connection to allow the deacon to draw meanings from the gospel into the present and everyday life of the people of the parish. Sure, it wouldn't be right to use deacons every week, so there I agree with the bishop, but I don't think it need be a 'rare' occurrence, either.


It sounds like Bishop Sample is overhauling the entire formation program for permanent deacons, so hopefully the new system will be better than the old! But I hope he does not delay accepting new candidates for [i]too[/i] long. Not assigning the men to their home parish is a wise move - it's hard to be a prophet in your hometown, and you can minister better if you enter with an attitude of serving the wider church community and not just going back to your home parish and what you 'know' already. That has improved the permanent diaconate in my archdiocese, anyway, so I'm glad they're considering it at Marquette, as well.
[/quote]

The ontological change occurs at ordination to the priesthood, not the diaconate. They are clergy, to be sure, but they are not ontologically changed. The change in ontology allows for a priest to act "in persona Christi." A deacon cannot do that....

Also, if a transitional deacon is not promoted to orders, he is normally released without impunity from the clerical state. In other words, he is free to lead a lay life without worry of personal judgment as clergy. That is not the same for a priest. If a priest is released, he is still a priest and will always be a priest. The same does not hold true for a deacon. Transitional or permanent.

As far as being a spiritual director a layman, I have no problem with that. But for a seminarian to seek out a deacon is troublesome, because I see him dealing with a set of spiritual issues that only a priest can deal with (ie. the ontological change).

As for the rest, I think that Bishop Sample's words speak plainly and for itself.

[BigJon16]

[quote name='Cam42' timestamp='1308750334' post='2257241']
Honest question.....

You're in seminary, right? How can a person who does not have the Ontological character of the priesthood counsel you on being a priest? It' not like a priest counseling a married couple, because there is no Ontological change....

I had a permanent deacon who was originally assigned to me when I was in seminary. I immediately sought out a good and holy priest who remained my spiritual director until he became a bishop....a very good choice.

I would seriously consider looking into finding a priest as a spiritual director the closer you get to ordination....just my opinion.
[/quote]


I am not in Seminary, but i hope to be someday. Im still a junior in Highschool.


I picked my SD, Dc. Mike, not because he could counsel me on being a Priest, but so he could counsel me on being a better Catholic, in preparation for someday going to Semianry. He's helped me a lot with descerning God's call, and with having patience while waiting out the descernment. He still gives me advice on my ideas and descisions, wehther it be going through a religious order, or my Diocese. He has been able to answer a lot of questions that an average lay person at my church couldnt.

Dc. Mike was also the first to be God's voice in my calling. He "planted the seed", if you will.

When the day comes, that I am enrolled into seminary then I will seek out a Priest as a Spiritual Director. But I've got a lot of time...

My old parish Pastor was like a "secondary" SD to me, but he moved. I hope to make our new Pastor my new "secondary".





And a Deacon still goes through seminary, right? He just doesnt go the extra year to become a Priest. So how would he be a bad choice even if I was in Seminary? Unless I was going through that last year to become a Priest.

[MithLuin]

Formation for permanent deacons is different from formation for priests. The setup varies by diocese, but in Baltimore, the deacons attend seminary classes on Saturdays for 2 years, which is a [i]little[/i] different from being a full time seminary student. Of course, they read the same books and have the same professors, so they're getting the same information, just a condensed version (and fewer papers). Most permanent deacons are much older when they enter formation, because they have to be able to downgrade their job to part-time and still have that be enough to support their family. So, most are nearing retirement age at ordination, though there [i]is[/i] an age cutoff (again, varies by diocese). Your average permanent deacon does [i]not[/i] have an advanced theology degree, though of course they are taking theology classes.

A transitional deacon, of course, has taken all the same classes as a priest, because all he has left is his pastoral year....training in a parish. He's probably not in a place in his life to serve as spiritual director to someone else, but he certainly can have a pastoral and chaplain-like role, which is of course an opportunity to offer people spiritual guidance through a difficult time in their lives.

Here's a succinct description of the ordination and preparation for the permanent diaconate:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QMpCc2EXcg[/media]

My own bishop has outlined what he feels to be the appropriate role for the permanent deacons in our diocese in the following letter (addressed to the deacons):
[quote]Back in September at St. Louis Church, Clarksville, we celebrated Mass during which I received the candidacy for the newest class of candidates. A large number of deacons and candidates from each level of formation was on hand, many with spouses.

At the end of Mass I addressed all on hand, citing the challenges our parishes are facing and will be addressing in the years ahead:

[list]• Our school consolidations have been completed and have reached a new phase, with an implementation report to reach me in early November.

• A review of each parish by our development office reveals that in addition to the cost of putting our school system on solid footing, our parishes have significant capital and program needs. This will require a major capital campaign over the period of the next five years.

• Our recent Priests Convocation heard startling numbers of ongoing priest reductions in the years to come. We must face the present reality of half-empty churches and regional duplications of liturgies and begin grassroots planning. “Priest burnout” is no longer a theory, but a reality as we speak.[/list]

You have heard all this before and more recently have read my comments in our Catholic Review. We must proceed forward on all of these three points and I see the role of our permanent deacons as crucial in doing so.

We have one of the best-formed diaconates in the nation: spiritually, theologically and pastorally. In addition, the vast variety of human gifts and professional talents which our deacons possess is a treasure we must better employ. From my observation, the utilization of deacons in our parishes and
other institutions is spotty at best, largely dependent upon local pastors or other supervisors.

I have asked Bishops Rozanski and Madden to discuss this in their meetings with their vicariate deacons. We want to hear how you think that you, as our deacons, might be more effectively utilized.

What specific talents, in fact, are out there and how can these match the developing needs of our communities and help advance the three projects noted above?

Those who have heard me speak know of my high regard and respect for the permanent diaconate, recently restored; more to the point, having met many of you and your families, I am convinced that a huge potential awaits us, with many riches for the faithful of Baltimore, by a closer look at our diaconate membership, and by offering you a challenge to greater service.

I know you are willing, able and eager. So let’s get to work, together.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien[/quote]

All of the men he is addressing have taken a vow of obedience to him (either directly or indirectly through his predecessor), so of course they are required to do as he requests. When they are given a book of the gospels at ordination, they are instructed: "Believe what you read, Teach what you believe,
Practice what you teach." Assisting the priests by preaching homilies as requested is part of their ministry as deacons. It is not the only part, but it is an important part.

[Cam42]

[quote name='BigJon16' timestamp='1308769602' post='2257325']
I am not in Seminary, but i hope to be someday. Im still a junior in Highschool.


I picked my SD, Dc. Mike, not because he could counsel me on being a Priest, but so he could counsel me on being a better Catholic, in preparation for someday going to Semianry. He's helped me a lot with descerning God's call, and with having patience while waiting out the descernment. He still gives me advice on my ideas and descisions, wehther it be going through a religious order, or my Diocese. He has been able to answer a lot of questions that an average lay person at my church couldnt.

Dc. Mike was also the first to be God's voice in my calling. He "planted the seed", if you will.

When the day comes, that I am enrolled into seminary then I will seek out a Priest as a Spiritual Director. But I've got a lot of time...

My old parish Pastor was like a "secondary" SD to me, but he moved. I hope to make our new Pastor my new "secondary".





And a Deacon still goes through seminary, right? He just doesnt go the extra year to become a Priest. So how would he be a bad choice even if I was in Seminary? Unless I was going through that last year to become a Priest.
[/quote]

If you're going to him to find a better call to holiness as a layman, then yes, I think that it's ok. However, if you do make the move to seminary, I would meet with him and get his view on what to do. I found it better to go to a priest, because a priest can relate better...

And no, deaconate training for permanent deacons is nothing like formation for the priesthood. There are many, many differences. I encourage you to look into that yourself and see the differences. If a deacon were on the path to priesthood, then yes, it is exactly the same thing, however for permanent deacons it is quite different.

[Cam42]

[quote name='MithLuin' timestamp='1308771539' post='2257330']
[...]

All of the men he is addressing have taken a vow of obedience to him (either directly or indirectly through his predecessor), so of course they are required to do as he requests. When they are given a book of the gospels at ordination, they are instructed: "Believe what you read, Teach what you believe,
Practice what you teach." Assisting the priests by preaching homilies as requested is part of their ministry as deacons. It is not the only part, but it is an important part.
[/quote]

I think that there is a key point in there...preaching homilies as requested. That is what Bishop Sample is speaking to, when he speaks about homilies....he, as the Ordinary of his See, as found that the deaconate program is lacking and looking to reform it. He has also made the prudent judgment to request that deacons not preach unless it is outside the Mass, unless there be some real pastoral need.

Bishop Sample rightly asserts that the role of preaching belongs to the celebrant of the Mass and that it is important to hear from the celebrant, as opposed to the deacons.

It's his call...and he made it...much like your Archbishop did...

[MithLuin]

Bishop Kevin Rhoades just this past week ordained the first permanent deacons in his diocese since 1983. He is new to Fort Wayne/South Bend, so his predecessor began the formation program. So, here is his vision of the role of the permanent deacon in his diocese that he shared with the congregation during his homily at the ordination mass last weekend:

[quote]After you are ordained, I will present to you the Book of the Gospels and I will say to each one of you the following words: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” This will be your mission: to embrace and to share Christ’s Gospel! It will be important for you to reflect on the message of the Gospel frequently and prayerfully. To proclaim the Gospel worthily in the Church’s liturgy, you must first hear that Word in your own heart and bear witness to it in your daily lives, in word and in deed. To preach to God’s people is not only an honor, it is a real commitment to holiness of life. As Saint Paul wrote to Timothy in our second reading today, deacons are to “hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” You are called to be servants of the liberating truth of the Gospel, leading God’s people to encounter Jesus Christ and to welcome him into their lives.

Your proclamation of the Gospel is backed up by your practical witness of charity. As you know, from the very beginnings of the Church, the practice of charity has been part of the diaconal ministry. The seven men of which the Acts of the Apostles speak were chosen “to serve at tables.” Often, in the early Church, the deacons assisted the poor. We think, for example, of the holy deacons in Rome, like the martyr, Saint Lawrence. As deacons, you are called to have a special love and concern for the poor and needy. Your ministry of charity is not just an “added extra” in your ministry — it is an essential part of your diaconal identity. Pope Benedict, in his first encyclical, reminded the whole Church that the exercise of charity is part of the Church’s very nature, “an indispensable expression of the Church’s very being.” In your service as deacons, may you be ever conscious of your mission to practice charity, to serve the poor. There are so many in our world and in our diocese who are oppressed by poverty. There are many who are afflicted by material poverty. There are also the spiritually poor and the culturally poor: those who suffer from addictions, those who have no faith in God, those who are tempted to despair, those who have known suffering in their marriages, and those who suffer from loneliness. All around us are brothers and sisters in need of Christ’s healing love. May you be signs and instruments of his love, true servants of charity!

My brothers in Christ, your service of the word and of charity is intimately linked to your service at the altar. The Levites in the Old Testament assisted the priests in their rites of worship. In the new covenant, deacons assist the bishop and priests at the altar of the Lord. You are called to serve at the liturgy with reverence and devotion. It is an honor and a profound joy to be servants of the liturgy. The Body and Blood of our Lord is entrusted to you to be given to the faithful. Your devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, your love for the most Holy Eucharist, can be a powerful witness to those whom you serve. And, of course, it is the Eucharist that will sustain and nourish you in your diaconal ministry. May you be deacons whose lives are deeply rooted in the Eucharist, the sacrament that contains the whole spiritual good of the Church![/quote]

So, yes, preaching is part of that. I'd be very surprised if Bishop Rhoades made the same request as Bishop Sample, to have the deacons preach only at weddings/baptisms/funerals, but not at mass.

I agree it's important that deacons obey their bishop and do as he requests. Perhaps we just have a much better formation program here in Baltimore, so it's not really an issue to keep the preaching of the deacons out of the mass.

[Cam42]

[quote name='MithLuin' timestamp='1308773397' post='2257342']
Bishop Kevin Rhoades just this past week ordained the first permanent deacons in his diocese since 1983. He is new to Fort Wayne/South Bend, so his predecessor began the formation program. So, here is his vision of the role of the permanent deacon in his diocese that he shared with the congregation during his homily at the ordination mass last weekend:



So, yes, preaching is part of that. I'd be very surprised if Bishop Rhoades made the same request as Bishop Sample, to have the deacons preach only at weddings/baptisms/funerals, but not at mass.

I agree it's important that deacons obey their bishop and do as he requests. Perhaps we just have a much better formation program here in Baltimore, so it's not really an issue to keep the preaching of the deacons out of the mass.
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Yes, I know Bishop Rhoads, he was my rector at the Mount. A good and holy bishop, he is...

Nobody, even Bishop Sample is disagreeing with the fact that deacons can preach...he is just reigning it in, because there are inconsistencies within the diocese. That is his call and that is what he has chosen to do....

[quote]The Sacrament of Holy Orders has three degrees: diaconate, priesthood and the episcopacy. The ordination of a priest or bishop imparts a sacred character and grants ministerial participation in the priesthood of Jesus Christ, our Eternal High Priest.
The ordination of a deacon, on the other hand, is not an ordination unto priesthood, but unto service. Many people most closely identify the ministry of the deacon with his role in the sacred liturgy, but this is not his essential identity and role. His service in the liturgy is only a reflection of his true identity brought into the public worship of the Church. His essential identity is as one who serves. That is why there are special ministries that are particularly suited to the deacon as servant. These include ministry and service to the poor, to the imprisoned, to the sick and to those who are abandoned and lonely, the modern day “widows and orphans.” (cf. Acts 6)[/quote]

[quote]The Code of Canon Law for the Latin Church gives the deacon (permanent and transitional) the faculty to preach everywhere, with at least the presumed permission of the rector of the church, unless this faculty has been restricted or removed by the competent Ordinary (c. 764).
In the case of a permanent deacon, the competent Ordinary mentioned above is the diocesan bishop. In the Diocese of Marquette, unless the faculty has been limited in a particular case, permanent deacons possess the faculty to preach anywhere in the diocese with the consent of the pastor of the parish.
It is to be noted that preaching is not a canonical right of the deacon, but just what the canon says, a faculty.[/quote]

[quote]Preaching on the part of the permanent deacon, taken in the broadest sense, encompasses many things. A permanent deacon “preaches” first of all by the witness of his life, especially in his marriage and family life. He also has the opportunity to “preach” in the marketplace though his teaching and witness to those he encounters in the daily regimen of his life and work. Finally he exercises his role as teacher in the various catechetical roles that he fulfills within the Church.
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[quote]As regards the preaching of the homily at Mass, one must begin with a basic principle. The liturgical norms presume that the one who presides at a liturgical service, or who is the principal celebrant at Mass, is also to give the homily. This should be the ordinary practice.
This principle is born out by both the universal Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons (DMLPD) and the General Instruction to the Roman Missal (GIRM):
“When the deacon presides at a liturgical celebration, in accordance with the relevant norms, he shall give due importance to the homily…”55 (emphasis added)
“The homily [at Mass] should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself…”56 (emphasis added)
Now it is true that the permanent deacon may give the homily at Mass, but a closer look at the liturgical norms is necessary to understand the circumstances under which this would be the case:
“The homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon…”57 (emphasis added).
The key words and phrases here are “occasionally” and “according to circumstances.”58
The sum effect of the two phrases taken together is this: From time to time, if common sense suggests that it is a good idea in this particular concrete instance, the deacon may be entrusted with the homily by the priest celebrant. The other effect of these two phrases taken together is to rule out the notion of the deacon preaching the homily at Mass on a routine or scheduled basis. He may preach the homily at Mass for some identifiable advantage for the faithful in the congregation, but not on a regular basis.[/quote]

[quote]It should also be noted that Canon Law gives the diocesan bishop the authority to restrict or remove the faculty to preach (c. 764), but not to expand it beyond that which is envisioned by canon law and the liturgical norms.
In conclusion, then, two diocesan norms for permanent deacons preaching the homily at Mass are to be observed:
1.
The permanent deacon may be entrusted with the homily at Mass on certain occasions, in other words from time to time, as circumstances suggest. This should not occur, however, on a routine or regularly scheduled basis
2.
According to paragraph #66 of the General Instruction to the Roman Missal, it is for the priest celebrant of the Mass to make the determination as to when the permanent deacon may be entrusted with the homily. This determination should be made under the direction of the pastor of the parish where the homily is delivered.
The pastor and the permanent deacon assigned to the parish should have a discussion and come to an understanding as to when it is opportune that the permanent deacon be entrusted with the homily at Mass.
The permanent deacon should pay careful attention to the other opportunities he has to preach at liturgical services and in the course of his daily living in witness to Christ and the teachings of the Church.[/quote]
[url="http://www.dioceseofmarquette.org/images/DiaconatePastoralLetter2011FullText.pdf"]source[/url]

There is nothing in the above quotes from Bishop Sample that are at odds with the Church or her vision of the deaconate. He is trying to catechize his flock on the true nature of the deacon, not on what has transpired to happen since the program was conceived in Marquette. In other words, he is trying to fix the hermeneutic of rupture, in favor of the hermeneutic of continuity, by sharpening the focus of the deacon in his diocese. He should be applauded for that.

[MithLuin]

Hehe, I thought you might know Bishop Rhoades . He is fairly amesome, of course!


I don't see any reason to applaud Bishop Sample for asking deacons not to preach at mass - so I won't. It's his diocese and his call, so if he feels the need to do that, great, he can go ahead and do that. A bishop that decides not to have any more permanent deacons in his diocese and dissolves the program is also well within his rights as bishop. Doesn't mean the faithful can't be disappointed by the decision.

I do, however, applaud him for revamping the formation program for permanent deacons, as I think that is a crucial part of preparing deacons to do what they are supposed to do well. And I am very glad that he is restructuring, not doing away with permanent deacons altogether.


Under ordinary circumstances, a deacon will preach at Sunday mass whenever his pastor asks him to. His role is to assist the pastor, and one of the things he assists with is preaching homilies at mass. It shouldn't be every Sunday, of course. Other Sundays, if the deacon is on the altar, he should read the gospel, but then allow the presider to preach. What Bishop Sample is doing is instructing the pastors not to ask for assistance in this area, so it is overly restrictive (compared to the norms), but certainly there's nothing inappropriate or illegit about such a request.

So, no, I don't think Bishop Sample has done anything [i]wrong[/i], nor do I question his authority to govern his own diocese. I'm just glad I don't live there .