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Ministry of Service
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General Information Whether ordained or non-ordained all work together to make the Church a fuller sign of Christ's presence. The Church's mission is to carry out the mission of Christ and this is done by different people doing different ministries, working together for building up of the Kingdom of God. While there are diverse ministries in the Church, the ordained ministries are those of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon. These are three complementary ways of sharing Christ's ministerial priesthood. The ministry of deacon is found in the New Testament (I Timothy 3, 8-13). That order today is being adapted to meet the contemporary opportunities for service to the People of God. There is an ever-present need for persons in contemporary society to hear the message of Christ and to experience the witness of service in His name. While the Diaconate is one form of Christian service, it is an authentic form of ministry in itself, distinct from but related to the ordained priesthood. The deacon assists the bishop in a special way by discovering needs of charity and by responding to those needs. The deacon is a sign of the Church serving the world. Who Is A Deacon Jesus came as the Servant of the Father doing the will of the Father and giving us an example of service. The Church as servant, carries on the mission of Christ, not to be served but to serve. The Deacon is a man of faith called by the Church to serve God and God's people as an official representative of the Church in loving service to others. He is a witness to the serving Christ. Sacramental ordination to the Diaconate is a sharing in the ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ and in the Church's ministry of service. A deacon must be sensitive to the needs of men and women and ready to give of himself by responding to the needs of everyone especially the poor and the alienated. His identity is that of service. While bishops, priests, deacons and laity often perform similar functions, a deacon is ordained to the Ministry of Charity, of Word and of Liturgy. Priests and deacons are collaborative associates of the bishop and both are under the direction of the bishop. By ordination the deacon:
Whether married or single, the majority of deacons continue to support themselves through their own profession or occupation. By continuing in their occupation, Deacons have the opportunity to bring the presence of Christ to the marketplace in a unique way. They become a valuable sign and symbol of Christ and the Church serving the world, thereby helping to eliminate any separation between the Church and the world. Ordinarily, Deacons offer their ministry freely to the Church and receive no monetary compensation for their service. Why Have Deacons The bishops of the Second Vatican Council anticipated the Church's growing need for the ministries of Sacrament, Word and Charity which at the time were principally shared by bishops and priests only. The bishops of the council reflected on the ministry of the deacon as exercised in the early Church and decided to restore the Diaconate as a permanent ministry open to married and single men. The Church today needs the service of deacons. The deacon will be able to bring a special sensitivity in ministering to the needs of the family; to single parents; to students; the aged; the sick; the imprisoned; the chemically dependent; the economically disadvantaged, etc. The deacon will complement and enrich the work of his brother priests and bishops. He will foster and encourage the laity in their baptismal call to ministry. The ordained ministry of the deacon is an opportunity for a man of strong faith to generously give himself to the pressing needs of people everywhere. The Role Of The Deacon Deacons are ordained for the service of the diocese. Appointments are made by the bishop and are usually to a parish but they can be to an institution or special apostolate of the diocese. . The work the deacon performs depends upon his own abilities; the needs of the diocese; and the local community he serves. His work involves various kinds of service. . Charitable service is the main area of the deacon's ministry. All Christians are called to charity but the deacon is the one who is officially sent or ordained by the Church to bring Christ and His good news to those in need. The deacon inspires and supports others' works of charity by his actions and deeds, taking care not to minimize, degrade or overshadow the efforts of others. . What distinguishes a deacon from the lay person is his ordination through the sacrament of Holy Orders. Thus, the deacon is called by the Church to share in the ministry of Christ on behalf of the Church and the world.
Examples of Diaconal Ministry PARISH SERVICE
SPECIALIZED MINISTRIES
Requirements
The deacon is called personally and ecclesially to serve after the manner of Jesus. He is first and foremost a Christian man in his usual employment and lifestyle, trained and formed by additional study and prayer for a special ministry to the community as an ordained minister. To be accepted into the Diaconate training program in Cleveland it is required that a man:
The best credentials a candidate can bring to the Diaconate is his past performance: personal, familial, professional, ecclesial, and social. Application The Diaconate Office welcomes applications from men of all communities and backgrounds. In order for the Good News to become incarnate it is necessary for the Church to have ordained ministers in all of the various communities. The presence and witness of deacons from all communities will more successfully identify community needs and advance the response of Christian service. The Diaconate is open to all men of the Catholic community who meet the basic requirements. Where special circumstances exist, e.g. special language or cultural needs, then in so far as possible and feasible, adjustments will be made to meet those needs. The man interested in becoming a Deacon in the Diocese of Cleveland should:
Training The formation and preparation of candidates for the Diaconate in the Diocese of Cleveland is on a part-time basis over a period of four (4) years. Formal classes are conducted at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe, Ohio.
The school year consists of two semesters with classes normally held on Wednesday evenings [approximately 6:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.] & Saturday mornings [approximately 8:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.]. Wednesday evenings include a Liturgy of the Hours and Saturday morning includes a Mass. The Diaconate Formation Program begins with an orientation day in the Fall. There is an annual Retreat for candidates and their wives. The major share of expenses is assumed by the diocese. The Diaconate Formation Program consists of family, spiritual, theological, and pastoral formation. Formation Family: The wives and children of the candidates have opportunities for personal and family growth along with the candidates themselves, e.g., Family Weekend, family cluster sessions for families to share together. Proper understanding of the Diaconate and positive support on the part of the wives and the children of the candidates are essential to a satisfying and successful diaconal ministry. The first commitment of the candidate is to his family. Spiritual: The spiritual aspect of the program consists in opportunities designed to help the candidate understand himself and his potential for spiritual growth. It seeks to provide motivation, inspiration, and information so that he can pray better and integrate his study, daily work life and family life. A life of prayer and a life of service come together in the person of the candidate. Theological: The theological formation seeks to provide adequate theological training for effective ministers of the gospel. The deacon, therefore, would have enough knowledge of theology to be competent and comfortable in the specific ministry he exercises. Required courses would include sacred scripture, catechetics, homiletics, liturgical-sacramental theology and some areas of systematic theology. Pastoral: The pastoral formation aspect of the program serves to help the candidate in providing field experience under supervision, assisting the candidate in acquiring ministerial skills and pastoral sensitivity. It seeks to derive a theological awareness from the actual context of ministry. It helps him to test out his capabilities and interests, his strengths and weaknesses. It provides an opportunity to deepen faith and strengthen commitment to service. It seeks to provide an arena for the integration of the spiritual, theological, and pastoral aspects of formation. The Pastoral Formation Program is conducted with the assistance of the candidate's pastor and parish. Cirriculum & Course Descriptions Click Topic for Information
History of the Permanent Diaconate
The service of deacons in the Church is documented from apostolic times. The first deacons are described in the Acts of the Apostles and referred to in the writings of St. Paul. In Acts 6:1-6 seven men of good reputation among the Christian community are chosen to assist the apostles in the care of the community’s needs. A strong tradition attested already by St. Irenaeus and influencing the liturgy of ordination, sees the origin of the Diaconate in the institution of the "seven" mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.
Up to the fifth century the Diaconate flourished in the western church, but after this period, for various reasons, it experienced a slow decline which ended in its surviving only as an intermediate stage for candidates preparing for priestly ordination. The Council of Trent disposed that the Permanent Diaconate, as it existed in ancient times, should be restored, in accord with its proper nature, to its original function in the Church. This prescription, however, was not carried into effect.
It would not be until June 18, 1967 when Pope Paul VI implemented the recommendations of the Second Vatican Council and restored the Permanent Diaconate.
The Diaconate, restored as a permanent order of ministry by the Second Vatican Council as part of its renewed vision of the church, brings back to the church the full complement of active apostolic ministries. In communion with the bishop and priests, the deacon is ordained to function in all three areas of the church's life: in the transmission of the Word; in the celebration of the sacraments and commitment to prayer; and in the community's love in action through service.
The restoration of the order of Permanent Deacons, seen as vital to the life of the Church by the bishops of Vatican Council II, has been implemented and enhanced by Pope Paul VI, the National Catholic Conference of Bishops and Pope John Paul II.
The deacon is called to be the presence of Jesus, touching the oppressed and the alienated, as well as being a source of encouragement to all the baptized in answering their call to service. By his life, the deacon makes visible to the church and to the world the redemptive service fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
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