Happy Anniversary Permanent Deacons

One of the earliest goals I set for my foray into having my own blog and updates was to inform about the ministry of the Permanent Deacon. To that end, I cannot let the anniversary of this date pass by without commenting.

Even though we are embarking on the Year of the Priest tomorrow, today’s date is a very important date in the life of the restoration of the Permanent Diaconate. On June 18, 1967 Pope Paul VI issued a motu proprio, Latin for by own hand or own initiative, restoring the Permanent Diaconate. Therefore you could say today is the 42nd anniversary of Permanent Deacons as we know them now.

The name of the document Paul VI issued is Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem, General Norms for Restoring the Permanent Diaconate in the Latin Church. It can be accessed at www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P6DIACON.htm.

Pope Paul clearly acknowledges the momentum for restoration of the Permanent Diaconate in Vatican II through the document Lumen Gentium. Notice however that the Pope clearly begins the document with Scriptural reference from both Philipians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Of course we all know that the order of Deacons is found in Acts with the selection of seven men who assume duties of service at table to assist widows. Of these seven, St. Stephen is of course the most widely known because he was the first Christian era martyr.

Of particular note from the Pope’s document is the listing of duties of a Permanent Deacon. Note the order of those duties he lists: the first eight are liturgical, from assisting at mass to baptisms, weddings, funerals, reading Scripture and instructing and exhorting (preaching) and finally we come to #9, charity and social assistance.


One can easily make the argument that while most Catholics do see Deacons in their liturgical functions, the most profound activity of the Deacon is social service. Just in my home Archdiocese of New Orleans alone, Deacons serve as the primary contact in prisons, juvenile detention facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, food banks, seamen outreach on the Mississippi River, assist travelers at the airport, youth programs, tribunals, and more; much more. I make this point primarily to address the average Catholic’s belief that Permanent Deacons are a direct response to a Priest shortage. While no one would disagree that Permanent Deacons have assumed many functions, the order itself was not restored because of a Priest shortage. Even if every diocese had an abundance of Priests, the Church acknowledges the need to sacramentalize service in the person of the Permanent Deacon.

So today, I join all my fellow Permanent Deacons in saying Happy Anniversary and offer prayers that all of us will continue to pray for blessed, fruitful ministries. If you get a chance, review the document, Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem and pray for vocations to the Permanent Diaconate and always pray too for vocations to the Priesthood.