Catholic Deacons Here are 3 answers to a true/false quiz that appeared on Facebook yesterday. Today's answers deal with the reality(yet still not fully appreciated)fact that Catholic Ordained Permanent Deacons are clergy, a little historical background on the Permanent Deacon, and the balancing act the Deacon must be able to pull off, everyday, all year long!!
Read, learn, enjoy:
1. Deacons are ordained clergy.
TRUE. It does drive me a little crazy when prayers are offered for "All the clergy and the deacons." Deacons are clergy. There are three levels of holy orders in the Catholic Church. The diaconate is the first level; it functions as the service ministry of Christ. There are as many ways of serving as there are deacons. All deacons can baptize, witness marriages, bring the viaticum to the dying, and preside at funerals. They proclaim the gospel and may serve as the homilist at mass.
The priesthood is the second level of holy orders. A priest is ordained a deacon prior to being ordained a priest. Priests stand in the place of Christ himself as they celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick. They carry a spiritual responsibility for the community of faith they serve. Through the sacraments and ministries of the Church, priests manifest the presence of Christ in the world.
Bishops are ordained to the fullness of holy orders. They fully convey the leadership of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King.
2. There have always been permanent deacons in the Roman
Catholic Church.
FALSE. While the here have always been deacons in the Church, the permanent diaconate gradually disappeared during the Middle Ages. Monasteries and convents were providing charity originally associated with the service of deacons. Some claim that deacons were becoming more popular than priests, and that because of that, the permanent diaconate was suppressed. We can find no direct evidence of that.
The liturgical role of the deacon received greater emphasis over
works of charity. Gradually, the diaconate became a transitional step to priesthood.
Vatican II restored the office of the permanent diaconate returning to the Church the full complement of ordained ministry.
3. A married deacon is expected to place the Church as a
priority above his wife and family.
FALSE.FALSE. FALSE!!! I place 3 falses, as a) some deacons act as if their ministry is of higher priority then their families, b)some parishioners act as if they have first call on their deacon's time and c) some pastors act as if their requirements supersede those obligations of a deacon to his family. False to all three. The reason is that a married man who is ordained a deacon in the Catholic Church is expected to honor his first commitment in the sacrament of marriage. The Church will not ordain the man unless his wife gives her consent in writing. A married deacon often must juggle a secular job, his family responsibilities and his service as deacon.
1. Deacons are ordained clergy.
TRUE. It does drive me a little crazy when prayers are offered for "All the clergy and the deacons." Deacons are clergy. There are three levels of holy orders in the Catholic Church. The diaconate is the first level; it functions as the service ministry of Christ. There are as many ways of serving as there are deacons. All deacons can baptize, witness marriages, bring the viaticum to the dying, and preside at funerals. They proclaim the gospel and may serve as the homilist at mass.
The priesthood is the second level of holy orders. A priest is ordained a deacon prior to being ordained a priest. Priests stand in the place of Christ himself as they celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick. They carry a spiritual responsibility for the community of faith they serve. Through the sacraments and ministries of the Church, priests manifest the presence of Christ in the world.
Bishops are ordained to the fullness of holy orders. They fully convey the leadership of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King.
2. There have always been permanent deacons in the Roman
Catholic Church.
FALSE. While the here have always been deacons in the Church, the permanent diaconate gradually disappeared during the Middle Ages. Monasteries and convents were providing charity originally associated with the service of deacons. Some claim that deacons were becoming more popular than priests, and that because of that, the permanent diaconate was suppressed. We can find no direct evidence of that.
The liturgical role of the deacon received greater emphasis over
works of charity. Gradually, the diaconate became a transitional step to priesthood.
Vatican II restored the office of the permanent diaconate returning to the Church the full complement of ordained ministry.
3. A married deacon is expected to place the Church as a
priority above his wife and family.
FALSE.FALSE. FALSE!!! I place 3 falses, as a) some deacons act as if their ministry is of higher priority then their families, b)some parishioners act as if they have first call on their deacon's time and c) some pastors act as if their requirements supersede those obligations of a deacon to his family. False to all three. The reason is that a married man who is ordained a deacon in the Catholic Church is expected to honor his first commitment in the sacrament of marriage. The Church will not ordain the man unless his wife gives her consent in writing. A married deacon often must juggle a secular job, his family responsibilities and his service as deacon.
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