St. Christopher Parish at 435 E National Rd, Vandalia, OH 45377 US - The Diaconate

Who is a Deacon?
A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church.  There are three groups, or "orders," of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters and deacons.  Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came "to serve and not to be served."  The entire Church is called by Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in a servant-Church.

What are the "various ministries" of the Deacon?
All ordained ministers in the Church are called to functions of Word, Sacrament, and Charity, but bishops, presbyters and deacons exercise these functions in various ways.  As ministers of Word, deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church.  As ministers of Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct funeral vigils and funeral services.  As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marchaling the Church's resources to meet those needs.

Is a Deacon ordained for the Parish or the Diocese?
Whenever a person is ordained, he is to serve the diocesan Church.  Deacons are no different in this regard; they are assigned by the bishop to ministries for which the bishop perceives a great need, and for which the deacon may have special gifts or talents.  Most often, this will be within a parish setting, just as most priests serve in a parish.  Once assigned to the parish, the deacon and any other clergy assigned to the parish minister under the immediately supervision of  the pastor.  However, this assignment may be changed at the request of the deacon or at the initiative of the bishop.

Can married men become Deacons?
Most deacons are married.  A deacon's wife plays an important support role during his years of formation and after ordination.  So intimate is their partnership and unity in the sacrament of marriage, that the Church requires the wife's consent before her husband can be ordained a permanent deacon.  One of the best opportunities to grow in her knowledge of the diaconate and its impact on her and her family is to participate in the formation program to the greatest extent possible.  At the same time, her own spiritual growth is enhanced.  In terms of official ministry, there is no specific role for the deacon's wife.  The deacon's ordination does not confer any ministerial role to the deacon's wife, yet the unity of the deacon and his wife is a sign to the entire parish of the unity of Christ with his Church.  The deacon and his wife can show how the obligations of family, work, and ministry can be harmonized in the service of the Church's mission.

More on the Diaconate
All members of the Catholic Church are called to share their gifts as Christ did.  By virtue of  baptism, each and every member of the Catholic Church enjoys new life in Christ, a sharing in His divine life.  God calls some men through the Church to ordained ministry:  bishops, priests, and deacons.  Bishops and priests are ordained to the ministerial priesthood; deacons are ordained for a ministry of service.  All receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  Thus, the deacon is an ordained minister of the Church.  He is neither a layman nor a priest.  The deacon is a cleric ordained for the service of God's people in communion with the bishop and his body of priests.  He works collaboratively with bishops, priests, and existing staff members of a parish or institution.  They work together to build up the Body of Christ.

More on becoming a Deacon
Becoming a deacon involves a vocation from God; it is not simply another volunteer job or ministry.  Therefore, a person becomes a deacon not just out of personal desire or interest, but for the common good of the Church as determined by the bishop.  It is for these reasons that the selection, discernment, and formation of deacon candidates are rigorous efforts.  The entire formation process, in fact, is a journey of discernment.  Through systematic opportunities for prayer, spiritual direction, formal course work, and pastoral-skills development, the candidate is able to reflect critically on his life and the various ministries to which he might be assigned.  This process of discernment continues to the very moment of ordination.

More on being a Deacon
Ordination bestows a permanent character on a person.  Once ordained, the deacon is always a deacon, regardless of where he is or what he is doing, just as a bishop or a priest is always a bishop or a priest, regardless of where he is or what he is doing.  The title deacon comes from the Greek word diakonos, which means servant.  The deacon is an icon, or sacramental sign of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45).  Once the bishop ordains the deacon he enters into a new set of relationships: he is permanently and publicly configured to Christ the Servant; he shares in the overall responsibility of the bishop to care for the people in the diocese, and he becomes an integral part of the clergy of the diocese, assisting the bishop and the priests in serving the needs of the diocese.

Interested?
Are you a Catholic man interested in becoming more involved in your parish?  Perhaps you are hearing a call or discerning your place in the Church?  Becoming a Deacon may be the choice for you.  For questions or for more information please call Amy Spowart at (937) 610-4242.


Updated 1/6/09

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