Diaconate
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Stephen, First Martyr
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Francis of Assisi
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Lawrence of Rome
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"So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, 'It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.'”
(Acts 6:2-4) -
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Deacons
Deacon = (v.) diakonia (Greek) = "to serve at table" or "to distribute charity"
The first deacons were selected by the Apostles to assist in serving the poor at table, so our first bishops could concentrate on preaching the Word of God and spending time in prayer."The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism." (Acts 6:5)
But not only were these men selected to serve, they were given the assistance of sacramental grace:
And thus the diaconate came into being."They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them."
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The Role of a Deacon
"For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -- Our Lord
(Mark 10:45)
A deacon is called to be an icon of "Christ the Servant". Many think of the story of Christ washing the feet of the Apostles at the Last Supper as a demonstration of the diaconal spirit. Deacons are called to serve with this spirit in the diocese he belongs to. Deacons preside at weddings, baptisms, and funerals, and may bring Viaticum to the dying. They assist at the altar, proclaim the Gospel, catechize, preach, and are ordinary ministers of Holy Communion -- most especially pertaining to the Chalice of His Blood.
The deacon does not belong to the parish, per se. He belongs to the bishop of the diocese. In the early centuries of the Church, deacons were responsible for assisting their bishop in minstering to the needs of the community, and keeping him informed of those needs. Having become expert administrators -- and as the presbyters (priests) fulfilled their sacerdotal duties of celebrating Mass and forgiving sins and preaching the Gospel -- more than a few deacons were directly appointed successors to their bishops, in lieu of priests.
This continued for many years, until dioceses grew exponentially and a need for more and more priests to adminster the sacraments led most deacons to progress to the priesthood. Over time, the diaconate became a "transitional" office of Holy Orders, and eventually went dormant from its original, semi-permanent form.
It wasn't until the ecumenical council of Vatican II that the permanent diaconate was awakened from its millenia long slumber. Pope Paul VI permitted this reawakening for the purpose of returning to the Church a "permanent" diaconate open to both single and married men, differentiated from the "transitional" diaconate that aspiring priests still pass through today. The Church discerned that those who were already active in the way of service and charity -- but not ordained -- had the right to receive the grace of the sacrament of Holy Orders to assist them in their work.
Today there are more than 18,000 permanent deacons in the United States, and more than 45,000 worldwide.
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Notable Deacons
Notable permanent deacons include St. Francis of Assisi, St. Stephen the First Martyr, St. Philip, St. Lawrence, St. Ephraim of Syria, St. Vincent of Saragossa, and St. Romanos the Melodist.
Pope Sylvester was the first deacon to be raised directly to the pontificate.
St. Athanasius, St. Thomas Beckett, and St. Reginald Pole made their initial impact in the Church as deacons before being raised to higher office. -
Are You Called?
Please plan to meet with the pastor of Sacred Heart to discuss your interest in the diaconate. Contact the Office at (630) 627-o687
Please visit the Diocese of Joliet diaconate website for additional information on how to begin the application and discernment process. Formation is typically a 4 1/2 year program which will take you through the minor offices of Candidate, Lector, and Acolyte on the way to ordination to the diaconate.
Joliet Diocese Office of the Diaconate
Office for the Diaconate
Diocese of Joliet-in-Illinois
Blanchette Catholic Center
16555 Weber Road
Crest Hill, IL 60403
(815) 221-6174
[email protected]Deacon Dominic Cerrato, Director
Deacon Victor Puskas, Director of FormationBobbi Honiotes, Administrative Assistant
