Permanent Deacons: we are just souls whose intentions are good, oh Lord please don't let us be misunderstood

This is a personal reflection only.  In no way should this be misunderstood as an official reflection of the Church or the office of the Permanent Diaconate.  This is all me, but a reflection I hope will have an impact, especially on Catholics and my brother Deacons as well as our Candidates and Aspirants.

On a recent program on The Catholic Channel, on Sirius/XM Radio 129, one of the on air personalities, who is most decidely Catholic, was musing about vocations and when a question was raised about Permanent Deacons he said something like, are they really clergy?  This, my friends, on a Catholic radio station. 

Prayers for vocations is a most necessary thing and a powerful thing.  I have read numerous "vocation" prayers that ask for vocations to the Priesthood and the Consecrated Life(brothers and sisters) and no mention of Deacons.  Please understand clearly here; this is not a statement of jealousy or even a defensive reaction.  No, my concern here is that some 40 plus years after the restoration of the order of the Permanent Deacon, we fail to catechize and even pray for one of the Church's much needed vocations.

I have spoken much on these pages recently of all the events surrounding the death and funeral of Archbishop Philip M. Hannan.  One of the most profound and moving moments of the events of the past few days was the funeral procession through the streets of New Orleans.  As the Archbishop's casket was placed in a horse drawn carriage, six Permanent Deacons, some of whom Archbishop Hannan ordained, walked alongside for the entire 5 mile route to the Cathedral.  Six Permanent Deacons.  They were fully vested in both the diaconal stole and a dalmatic, the outer vestment particular to the Permanent Deacon.  Every, and I mean every major media outlet in New Orleans, radio, TV and print, identified my brother Deacons as Priests of the Archdiocese.  Now if we Catholics often don't know about the role and function of the Permanent Deacon I guess I should not expect the media to know.  Here is the deal; while a Bishop shares a mighty bond with his Priests, in part because he is a brother Priest, the Deacon, Permanent or Transitional, is ordained to service to the Church through his Bishop.  We realize a father/son relationship to our Bishop and we pledge obedience to our Bishop, and his successors, at our ordination.  And we should note, a Bishop's first ordination was that to the diaconate. 

Permanent Deacons are most often seen by the faithful at Sunday Mass.  That's a good thing but it does not tell the whole story; no, far from it.  Permanent Deacons, soon after ordination, began ministering in charity and service at hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, hospice, marriage preparation, tribunals, on ships at sea, as chaplains to police and firemen, and dozens upon dozen other ministries of charity and service.  I wish more Catholics could witness that service.

Permanent Deacons are often referred to after Mass as "Father".  This is not usually a place to pick a battle, but gently we should remind our faithful that no, Father is Father, I'm the Deacon.  Of course I am a father, to two wonderful children.  Yes, I'm married, as is the vast majority of Permanent Deacons.  Transitional Deacons are not married as they are still on their journey to possibly being ordained to the Priesthood.  This, despite 40 years later, is still a cause of concern for some.  I have met Catholics, thankfully very few, who are concerned that I am ordained clergy and married.  They politely tell me it's just not right.  Even in reading the interesting news articles about the Church and her ongoing discussions in one day hopefully bringing the SSPX back to full communion, the SSPXers claim the Permanent Diaconate as an obstacle to reunification.  As one SSPX leader said, how can a man handle the Eucharist and proclaim God's Word and then share a bed with a woman?  All I can say here is: geez.

Fullness of Holy Orders in holy Mother Church is deacon, priest and bishop.  A Deacon is indeed ordained, he receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders at his ordination.  And he takes a vow of obedience to his Bishop and conditionally celibacy.  If he be unmarried, he is to remain unmarried.  If he be married, and his wife pre-deceases him, he is not to be remaaried(except in rare occassions and only if granted by the Holy Father).  At his ordination the Bishop lays hands on the Deacon and calls down the Holy Spirit.  The Deacon is fully clergy, called from the laity, ordained for service and to be the icon of Christ the Servant.  His presence sacramentalizes that service!

Thanks for allowing me to share and explain my own thoughts about the Permanent Deacon and my concern that we have a long way to go, as Church, in understanding this most important order.  And if the many of you who frequently pray for vocations, continue to do so, especially for the holy Priesthood.  But it's ok to pray for vocations to the diaconate because without this important vocation, we would not completely enjoy fullness of Holy Orders.