Deacons: a living sacramental sign of Christ the servant

So says Joseph Michalak, writing for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in the CatholicSpirit.com.

This diaconate director has some amazing insights about the Permanent Deacon; still often misunderstood and under utilized in some parts of the Church. The author reminds us of the very words of Pope John Paul II : "the Deacon is ordained to sacramentalize service and be the icon of Christ the servant."

He goes on to remind us that the Permanent Deacon is indeed ordained clergy and participates in a three fold ministry: ministry of the Word, ministry of Eucharist and liturgy and ministry of charity and justice(service).

What does a Deacon do? I have addressed this is many similar posts. The author here makes the following statement: "the list is too long to describe fully. But whatever he does, he does as sacramentally ordained into the ministry of Christ the servant, he is icon of that servant, the living bearer of the Word and doer of the Father's will."

Joseph Michalak goes on to say much more about Permanent Deacons and I invite you to look at the link at http://thecatholicspirit.com/

Remember, as I always say, for the Permanent Deacon it's not what you do; it's who you are. That description by Pope John Paul II says it all.

Now in my 9th month as an ordained Deacon, I continue to live the charism of the Deacon in my ministry of service at the Rayburn Correctional Center (where I visited tonight) and ministry of Word and Liturgy at my home parish of St. Jane de Chantal in Abita Springs. I continue to thank God daily for this ministry He has entrusted to me.