Becoming a deacon

[Diaconia]

Is there a maximum age requirement?

Canonically there’s not an upper age limit, but all dioceses have guidelines on this. You’ll have to check with your own diocese for specifics.

God bless,

 

[iowankid]

Is a deacon required to serve whenever he is at mass or can he join his family in the pews? How is this different from a priest concelebrating mass? Thanks

 

[otjm]

Is a deacon required to serve whenever he is at mass or can he join his family in the pews? How is this different from a priest concelebrating mass? Thanks

The deacon assists at Mass by beginning certain prayers at the beginning; reading the Gospel, occasionally giving a homily, preparing the altar, holding up the chalice during the exposition, announcing the exchange of peace, assisting in distrbuting Communion, cleaning the vessels after Communion, and announcing the end of Mass. None of it requires the deacon to be on the altar, and if a parish has several deacons, one serves. Another priest could attend Mass without concelebrating; neither the deacon nor the additional priest are required to be on the altar.

Another priest concelebrating is actually saying Mass with the main celebrant. A deacon has no power to say Mass; he only assists at Mass - in actions no one else (server, lector, etc.) does, and in actions that some of them may do (e.g. setting up the altar). As a note: if the deacon is assiting at Mass, it is his duty to read the Gospel and it would be entirely incorrect for the priest to do so, as reading the Gospel is the charism of the deacon. If there is no deacon, the priest reads the Gospel, not because it is his charism as priest, but as it is his charism as an ordained deacon (which he also is). The ordination as deacon does not “disappear” nor is it “consumed” in the ordination as priest. That is why, when the bishop is saying Mass and there is a deacon, the deacon reads the Gospel.

 

[iowankid]

Thanks so much for this information. It is very helpful to me knowing this.
God bless you and all who read this!

 

[Balcerhouse]

I think that I already know the answer to my question but I’ll ask anyway, I’m 25 and unmarried but intend on marrying, Would there ever be a variation that my diocese would allow me to be a deacon and then marry? I’m assuming no.

 

[otjm]

I think that I already know the answer to my question but I’ll ask anyway, I’m 25 and unmarried but intend on marrying, Would there ever be a variation that my diocese would allow me to be a deacon and then marry? I’m assuming no.

From everything I have read, the likelyhood is no, nada, zip, and etc.

That may be one of the reasons that (at least some) dioceses will not start you in a program until you are 35. It allows you to get the rest of whatever in your life in place. Iwould imagine there are some complaints on the issue, but I have not heard them.

As an aside, there are a few canon lawyers who seem to be a bit like a dog with a bone - chewing on what they say is a requirement that any deacon who is married can no longer engage in sexual relations with his wife.

For whatever that is worth, it appears that the Church is ignoring the issue, if such actually exists in Canon Law.

As to marrying subsequently, the Roman church does not have a married priesthood except by specific exceptions - primarily Episcopal/Anglican priest (married) who convert and are ordained (there are others also, but the whole group of them is tiny). In the Eastern rites, which have a married priesthood, they do not allow men who are ordained to be subsequently married, and for the gretest part, if they are married and then ordained, they may not remarry if their spouse dies (with a very limited exception of one who may have small children). That, from what I have read, is historically the rule the Church has followed since it’s beginning (and no doubt someone somehwere may find a single exception or so). Historically if you were single at ordination, that is the way you went through life. I have not ssen the issue specific to deacons, but what I have read appears to indicate the rule is the same and will remain so.

Thus the agitation by some on the liberal end who want priests to be able to marry ignores history; however, history is that we have had married clergy - married, then ordained.

 

[Lapey]

I think that I already know the answer to my question but I’ll ask anyway, I’m 25 and unmarried but intend on marrying, Would there ever be a variation that my diocese would allow me to be a deacon and then marry? I’m assuming no.

You have ten years before you’re old enough to be ordained, chances are you will be married by then. But the answer to your question is a plain old fashion nope! Only with dispensation from Rome would a widower with small children be allowed to re-marry for the sake of the kids.

 

[Ernesto_Flies]

Hi Guys! Im so glad to find Your site and find it so useful. Thanks so much! By the way, I know its almost impossible , but do You know if certain institution let me be deacon just taking the online curse and finally at the end may be I have to be ordened or take final classes in some instituion but almost the whole academical curse, being taken online? I dont know I just want to know because Bizantine Church already have this feature. Thanks and God Bless You all of You guys!!