Called to Serve – The Permanent Diaconate
There have been permanent deacons in the Clifton Diocese since 1973.
Yet there are still people who do not really know what a deacon is, and
some confuse them with priests. So, what is a deacon and why did the
Church reintroduce them?
The Second Vatican Council, which was held in Rome from October 1962 until December 1965, produced a decree on the Church, called ‘Lumen Gentium’, after the opening words, ‘Christ is the light of the nations’. In a section ‘on the hierarchical structure of the church and in particular on the episcopate’, there is a description of the identity and function of permanent deacons: “At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, upon whom hands are imposed not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service. For strengthened by sacramental grace, in communion with the bishop and his group of priests they serve in the diaconate of the liturgy, of the word, and of charity to the people of God. It is the duty of the deacon, according as it shall have been assigned to him by competent authority, to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services. Dedicated to duties of charity and of administration, let deacons be mindful of the admonition of Blessed Polycarp: "Be merciful, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all."
A few years ago I was asked by a priest to consider the possibility of the Permanent Diaconate. For most of my life I have felt that my role as a disciple of Jesus Christ is to serve. The word deacon comes from the Greek word diakonos, which means ‘servant’. Love is everything, in the end, and ‘to love is to serve’ as St Bernard of Clairvaux said. Jesus showed us a way of life where we love God above all, love our neighbour as ourselves, and even love our enemies.
After much prayer and reflection on the possibility of becoming a deacon, on how it would affect my wife and my family, I had gone through a wide range of positive and negative feelings. I had the support of my family, but I was very aware of the enormity of the commitment and some doubts as to my ability to take on the role. On the feast of the Annunciation in 2004, I read the Gospel of the day very carefully and the words that seemed to be leaping off the page at me were, ‘Rejoice’; ‘Do not be afraid’; ‘But how can this come about?’; ‘Nothing is impossible for God’ and ‘You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said’. The following morning I had a complete change of heart and was very positive. I came to see that the calling to serve that I had felt for so long could be fulfilled in the permanent diaconate. It would mean extending and deepening the possibilities to be a servant for the Lord in his Church. The grace conferred with the Sacrament of Holy Orders would add a new dimension of possibilities to serve God and his Church in a more intimate way.
On the occasion the of the jubilee of the permanent diaconate in February 2005, Monsignor Roberto O González Nieves OFM, Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico gave an address which covered very well why the Second Vatican Council restored the permanent diaconate: “The diaconate is re-instituted at this time in history, not to replace the presbyterate, not to threaten the laity, but to act as a herald: the angel of Evaghelismos, that is to say of Annunciation. It is a new Gabriel who proclaims the Good News of Salvation! "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Lk 1:35). By receiving the laying on of hands, deacons are established as ordained ministers who, without being priests, are not lay, and without being lay, are not priests, and yet are ordained ministers; nor are they Bishops.
When Gabriel foretold the birth of Jesus, Mary, the Mother of God, asked: "How will this be?". She asked the question not because she did not believe, but because she did not understand. When the angel spoke to her, he did not give her long explanations, nor did he say many words. She did not say many words either. She simply answered: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said" (Lk 1:38). The Council Fathers restored the diaconate in the Western Church because they believed that the Church needed this ministry in such a context as described above, between the laity and the presbyterate, like a Bishop's missing arm. The diaconate is not an artificial arm: it is a living arm in whose veins flows the blood of Christ the Servant, the Son of the Lord's servant.
The deacon replies to the council decree, "Here am I. Send me!" (Is. 6:8). He replies because he believes he will accomplish what the Council has established. Although theology is not conclusive about the diaconate, the faith in its revealed nature is not in question.”
I only seek to do the will of God, and if this is God’s will for me, I am willing to take it on. If it is ultimately discerned that this is not the right way for me to go, then I will pray for guidance along a different path. With a good formation I think I can do this service for the Lord. The words of the dismissal at the end of Mass have taken on a new meaning for me, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord."
The two deacons at St Gregory’s, Deacon David McDonald and Deacon Robin Littlewood have been very good role models for me, and I have been very encouraged by their support. My hope is that I will eventually be able to serve the parish as well as they have over many years.
I am now nearly half way through a four-year formation programme, which, God willing, culminates in ordination in July 2008. On Friday 2 June this year I received Candidacy to the Permanent Diaconate along with two other students. The Candidacy Mass was held at St Catharine’s Catholic Church in Frome.
Brendan Vaughan-Spruce
This article was first published in the magazine of St Gregory the Great Parish in Cheltenham.
The Second Vatican Council, which was held in Rome from October 1962 until December 1965, produced a decree on the Church, called ‘Lumen Gentium’, after the opening words, ‘Christ is the light of the nations’. In a section ‘on the hierarchical structure of the church and in particular on the episcopate’, there is a description of the identity and function of permanent deacons: “At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, upon whom hands are imposed not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service. For strengthened by sacramental grace, in communion with the bishop and his group of priests they serve in the diaconate of the liturgy, of the word, and of charity to the people of God. It is the duty of the deacon, according as it shall have been assigned to him by competent authority, to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services. Dedicated to duties of charity and of administration, let deacons be mindful of the admonition of Blessed Polycarp: "Be merciful, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all."
A few years ago I was asked by a priest to consider the possibility of the Permanent Diaconate. For most of my life I have felt that my role as a disciple of Jesus Christ is to serve. The word deacon comes from the Greek word diakonos, which means ‘servant’. Love is everything, in the end, and ‘to love is to serve’ as St Bernard of Clairvaux said. Jesus showed us a way of life where we love God above all, love our neighbour as ourselves, and even love our enemies.
After much prayer and reflection on the possibility of becoming a deacon, on how it would affect my wife and my family, I had gone through a wide range of positive and negative feelings. I had the support of my family, but I was very aware of the enormity of the commitment and some doubts as to my ability to take on the role. On the feast of the Annunciation in 2004, I read the Gospel of the day very carefully and the words that seemed to be leaping off the page at me were, ‘Rejoice’; ‘Do not be afraid’; ‘But how can this come about?’; ‘Nothing is impossible for God’ and ‘You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said’. The following morning I had a complete change of heart and was very positive. I came to see that the calling to serve that I had felt for so long could be fulfilled in the permanent diaconate. It would mean extending and deepening the possibilities to be a servant for the Lord in his Church. The grace conferred with the Sacrament of Holy Orders would add a new dimension of possibilities to serve God and his Church in a more intimate way.
On the occasion the of the jubilee of the permanent diaconate in February 2005, Monsignor Roberto O González Nieves OFM, Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico gave an address which covered very well why the Second Vatican Council restored the permanent diaconate: “The diaconate is re-instituted at this time in history, not to replace the presbyterate, not to threaten the laity, but to act as a herald: the angel of Evaghelismos, that is to say of Annunciation. It is a new Gabriel who proclaims the Good News of Salvation! "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Lk 1:35). By receiving the laying on of hands, deacons are established as ordained ministers who, without being priests, are not lay, and without being lay, are not priests, and yet are ordained ministers; nor are they Bishops.
When Gabriel foretold the birth of Jesus, Mary, the Mother of God, asked: "How will this be?". She asked the question not because she did not believe, but because she did not understand. When the angel spoke to her, he did not give her long explanations, nor did he say many words. She did not say many words either. She simply answered: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said" (Lk 1:38). The Council Fathers restored the diaconate in the Western Church because they believed that the Church needed this ministry in such a context as described above, between the laity and the presbyterate, like a Bishop's missing arm. The diaconate is not an artificial arm: it is a living arm in whose veins flows the blood of Christ the Servant, the Son of the Lord's servant.
The deacon replies to the council decree, "Here am I. Send me!" (Is. 6:8). He replies because he believes he will accomplish what the Council has established. Although theology is not conclusive about the diaconate, the faith in its revealed nature is not in question.”
I only seek to do the will of God, and if this is God’s will for me, I am willing to take it on. If it is ultimately discerned that this is not the right way for me to go, then I will pray for guidance along a different path. With a good formation I think I can do this service for the Lord. The words of the dismissal at the end of Mass have taken on a new meaning for me, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord."
The two deacons at St Gregory’s, Deacon David McDonald and Deacon Robin Littlewood have been very good role models for me, and I have been very encouraged by their support. My hope is that I will eventually be able to serve the parish as well as they have over many years.
I am now nearly half way through a four-year formation programme, which, God willing, culminates in ordination in July 2008. On Friday 2 June this year I received Candidacy to the Permanent Diaconate along with two other students. The Candidacy Mass was held at St Catharine’s Catholic Church in Frome.
Brendan Vaughan-Spruce
This article was first published in the magazine of St Gregory the Great Parish in Cheltenham.
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