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INFORMATION BULLETIN No 78 APRIL 2006
On the Diaconate - Deacon Paul Simmons What Deacons say energises them What the Deacons say de-energises them Pope Benedict's Deus caritas est on the Permanent Diaconate From the Australian Bishops' Guidelines on the Permanent Diaconate
We all
know what it means to be torn apart in every direction. After responding daily
to our most pressing parish issues—administrivia as well, where do we find
time for those precious moments of care for the poor and needy, with a depth of
compassion and charity? And yet, the Church is clear: in Pastores
dabo vobis (22-23, et
alia), pastoral charity is the very
essence of priestly ministry; in Christus
Dominus (30:2; 13),
bishops are reminded that “they should devote themselves with a paternal love
to the poor and the sick .…” Pope
Benedict tells us in Deus caritas est (20-25)
that when the Apostles were torn in every direction, the diaconate was established as “part of the funda-mental structure
of the Church”, as “a truly spiritual office which carried out an essential
responsibility of the Church.” It’s not that deacons replace priests in
pastoral charity; deacons are ordained to assist the bishop, inter
alia, in his essential work of charity. In January
this year, deacons from across Australia met in Adelaide to celebrate their
ministry and life. Those who led discussions—priests too, reminded all of us
of their unique place in the Church, asking us to give prayerful thought to a
more complete understand-ing of the Sacrament of Orders. Our deacons’
under-standing of their place in the wider Australian Church was drawn together
in Adelaide—some of their thoughts are included inside. With personal best wishes Frank
Devoy Executive Officer
On the Diaconate... by Deacons Paul Simmons (Broken Bay) “As an essential part of the Church’s
structure, the diaconate fulfils a key role in its ministry. … Yes, it can be
argued ‑ and often is ‑ we don’t need deacons, laity can do
everything that deacons do. … The diaconate is not about taking away
ministries from lay people, rather it is about building up the community. It's
about challenging, encouraging, supporting, and training the laity to accept
their baptismal responsibilities and become actively involved in the life of the
Church, and their parish community …. “McCaslin
and Lawler in Sacrament and Service: A Vision of the Permanent Diaconate Today
observe “that
any parish without the sacramental presence of a deacon, to symbolize the call
of the local church to diakonia is sacramentally incomplete". … In other
words, a Church without its full range of ministries is an incomplete Church. It
isn't only missing an important ministry of Christ‑like service, but lacks
something integral to its very nature. “This
is so because the deacon shares in the bishop's ministry of the proclamation of
the Word of God. And,
as an assistant to the bishop, the deacon is called to engage with people, to
identify, and serve, those on the margins of society--the 'lepers', the
'widows', the 'orphans' of today, seeking marriage, baptism of infants, viaticum
for the dying, rites for the deceased and pastoral care of the grieving …. “He is called to minister in those areas where the bishop would like to, but is unable to. The deacon is at the service of the bishop and, when appointed to a parish, works in collaboration with his pastor, to assist him in the pastoral care of those entrusted to him.
“The
General Instruction of the Roman Missal reminds us that the pre‑eminent
expression of the Church is that Sunday Eucharist celebrated by the bishop,
surrounded by his presbyters, deacons AND lay ministers, and in which the
faithful are present, participate fully and actively ….”
What Deacons say energises them s
The recognition of the presence of God in our lives. The gratitude we
give to God for freely giving us this vocation and calling us to recognize it. s The positive responses,
support, recognition and thanks from the people we serve. s The acceptance and support of the presbyterate, especially
those with whom we work in collaboration. s
Relationship with the
Bishop: as the deacon is ordained principally to assist the bishop, his warm
support means everything. s
The affirmation of our
vocation by our families, especially the affirmation, love and support of our
wives. s The support of various
religious communities with whom we work and have contact, especially those which
conduct retreats and make available their facilities for conferences etc. s The joy that comes to us
from helping others, especially the poor and disadvantaged, the sick, elderly
and lonely. s The ability to bring the
'Good News' to people especially the 'hard of heart', particularly at the time
of baptisms, weddings and funerals where some of the 'hardness' starts to
soften. s
Appreciation of our
ecumenical work, at both parish and diocesan level, is something that continues
to give life to the deacon and ecumenism at large. Bereavement
Counselling;
Diocesan Chancellor; Chaplains
to:
Emergency
Services, Hospitals, Maritime, Migrants, Military, Police, Prisons, Secondary
Colleges and Schools; Confraternity
of Christian Doctrine; Ecumenism:
diocesan ecumenical commission,
members of ministers fraternal; Liturgical
Training of:
acolytes/senior altar servers,
readers, Extraordinary Ministers, visitation teams etc; Liturgy:
Deacon at Altar / Proclaim
Gospel, Preach Homilies, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Stations of Cross, Holy
Hour /Benediction etc; Marriage
Tribunal work; Pastoral Care Coordinator to:
Coordinate and train people in a wide range of pastoral care, including
residents in aged care facilities; Conduct
RCIA Process; Sacramental
Preparation of:
all sacraments, including pre-marriage education courses eg FOCCUS; Secretarial
work: Council of Priests, College of
Consulters, Bishop; Seniors Ministry; Coordinate Social Justice groups; Spiritual Advisors to: St Vincent DePaul – Parish/Regional; Parish Visitation Teams, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Readers etc; Visitation: general home visitation, visiting sick, elderly, lonely in hospitals/homes; especially care for the poor, the down and out, and those with deprivation of any kind.
What the Deacons say de-energises them s Some clergy and laity do not
understand the diaconate as a vocation, a calling from God. s Often the diaconate is seen
just as another ministry, rather than a vocation--a calling from God for life. s The ‘low’ profile given
to the diaconate: there’s often no effort to educate the people re the
Sacrament; prayers for vocations seldom include diaconate. s Opposition to the diaconate
devalues the life and ministry of deacons, resulting in frustration and a
feeling of worthlessness. s Where the diaconate is
established and a new Bishop/PP arrives, deacons are at times ‘put on hold’. s Having to explain continually what a deacon is.
Pope Benedict's Deus caritas est on the Permanent Diaconate and Charity
The
Apostles, who had been entrusted primarily with “prayer” (the Eucharist and the liturgy)
and the “ministry of the word”, felt
over-burdened by “serving tables”, so
they decided to reserve to themselves the
principal duty and to
designate for the other task, also
necessary in the Church, a
group of seven persons ... They
were to be men “full
of the Spirit and of wisdom” (cf.
Acts 6:1-6). In other words, the social service which they were meant to provide
was absolutely concrete, yet at
the same time it was a spiritual service; theirs
was a truly spiritual office which
carried out an
essential responsibility of the Church, namely
a well-ordered love of neighbour. With
the formation of this group of seven, “diaconia” – the ministry of
charity exercised
in a communitarian, orderly way – became
part of the fundamental
structure of the Church.” (no. 21) …
love for widows and orphans, prisoners,
and the sick and needy of every kind, is
as essential to [the Church] as
the ministry of the sacraments and
preaching of the Gospel. The
Church cannot neglect the
service of charity any
more than she can neglect the Sacraments and the Word. (no. 22)
From the Australian Bishops' Guidelines on the Permanent Diaconate
“… The diaconate fulfils a key role in the
ministry of the Church and is an essential part of its structure. The ministry
of deacons is one of liturgy, word and charity. In this they are ordained to
assist the bishop and his body of priests. However, they are also to be at the
service of all, embodying Christ who came to serve and not to be served. “The order of deacons is a distinct and permanent
grade in the Church’s hierarchy. Through ordination deacons enter into the
threefold ministry of worship and service, ministering in communion with the
bishop and his presbyterium. The pre-eminent expression of the Church is that
Sunday Eucharist celebrated by the bishop, surrounded by his presbyters, deacons
and lay ministers, and in which the faithful present participate fully and
actively. (GIRM,
112) “The Second Vatican Council, when decreeing that
the diaconate be restored as a proper and permanent rank of the clergy in the
Latin Church, stated that it pertained to the office of deacon to administer
bap-tism, to be the custodian and distributor of the Euch-arist, 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, and to offici-ate at funeral and burial services (Lumen
gentium, 29). “A local Church without deacons is not only
missing an important ministry of Christ-like service, but lacks something
integral to its very nature. ….” (from “Guidelines
for the Permanent Diaconate in the Catholic Church in Australia”, 2-5; to
be read in the light of the Directory for
the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons, promulgated by the Congregation
for Clergy, 22 February, 1998)
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