Call to be a Deacon?

[JimR-OCDS]

Keep in mind that a deacon doesn’t necessarily choose the ministry they’ll serve in. The Bishop does.

You could end up in a thankless job at a parish.

Jim

 

[Augustinian]

Is being a Deacon my calling then??

This is a big investment in time- not just during the formation processes but there after. You really have to have the motivation for this ministry. Are you serving as a reader or EM or usher now? Getting more involved for several months, make sure you are up to it.

 

[dochawk]

The RCC is the best choice for every person.

This is offensive, and directly contradicts church teaching about the other two dozen churches in full communion with Rome.

hawk

 

[Mi_Rose]

Beautiful description.

 

[Kaliaa]

Do you seriously think I’d be leaving out the other churches in communion with Rome? We are all part of the same family. My comment was in no way intended to be divisive nor to cause distress. I’m sorry you took it that way.

 

[Kaliaa]

It might be a thankless job in the eyes of the world, so it’s a good thing that what the world thinks doesn’t matter.

 

[dochawk]

Do you seriously think I’d be leaving out the other churches in communion with Rome?

Regardless of intent, that is exactly what you did; “RCC” explicitly does not include the other churches in communion with it.

hawk

 

[EvangelistVictor]

Regardless of intent, that is exactly what you did; “RCC” explicitly does not include the other churches in communion with it

Man, I have lots to learn still. Forgive my lack of knowledge but can somebody explain this?

I thought the Roman Catholic Church was the only church Christ founded with St. Peter as the Rock. Even his bones are in Rome. What other churches are in communion with Rome?

 

[Mi_Rose]

The Eastern Catholic Churches

 

[EvangelistVictor]

The Eastern Catholic Churches

Can you elaborate what or where these are? I really wish now I would of went to a Catholic University and Seminary.

 

[EvangelistVictor]

Ok, did a quick wikipedia read on the Eastern CC. Priest can marry! Maybe I need to find one of these in my area! lol )

 

[Mi_Rose]

The Eastern Catholic Churches are not ‘experimental’ or ‘provisional’ communities; these are sui iuris Churches; One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, with the firm canonical base of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches promulgated by Pope John Paul II."

 

[Mi_Rose]

I do not know much about them. What I do know is from a daughterinlaw who is Ukrainian Catholic.

 

[dochawk]

I thought the Roman Catholic Church was the only church Christ founded with St. Peter as the Rock. Even his bones are in Rome. What other churches are in communion with Rome?

The Orthodox and Catholic church was in communion for most of the first millennium, and consisted of multiple patriarchies.

There is a schism separating what we call the “Oriental Orthodox” who didn’t make it to Chalcedon on time and were condemned by that council which simply didn’t understand the language in their theology.

Then schism between the Eastern and Western parts of the church proceeded from the 11th to 14th century, and continues to this day.

There are some “Uniate” churches formed to take in Orthodox who wanted to enter communion with Rome, such as the Russian Catholics. There are a couple of churches that never left communion, such as the Italo/Greco/Albanian byzantines, almost in the shadow of Rome, and the Maronites, who simply lost communication for centuries due to Muslim invaders.

There are other Churches that never formerly broken communion with Rome but fell out on the eastern side of the split, such as the Ukrainian church, which reentered communion under the Treaty of Brest, including protections for things such as it’s married clergy, the original creed, and selection of its own bishops; the Ruthenians and others under similar terms with the Treaty of Many Spellings, err, Uzrod and similar; and the Melkites, church of the Patriarch of Antioch, which simply requested communion with Rome almost 200 years ago.

Many of these churches remain self-governing, but all are in communion with Rome. There are roughly two dozen, but there are some variations on how to count, and one (Gerogian?) is suspected to be extinct.

In the US, clergy from Eastern churches commonly also serve or assist in RCC parishes. We produce far more priests per capita, and have much smaller parishes, so it tends to work well for both for an RCC parish to pay an EC priest’s salary, taking him maybe 80% time, and the EC parish to put aside that money for its building fund.

hawk

 

[anon10271182]

Sounds more like a call to be an evangelist. A deacon’s work is pastoral, and outreach–visitations to the sick and homebound, ministry to the poor and needy, etc. And after posting this, I just saw Deacon Jeff’'s post, which is very thorough.
I notice your profile says you just became a Catholic this year? Have you completed RCiA?
But as everyone is telling you–talk to the diaconate formation folks.

 

[dochawk]

Ok, did a quick wikipedia read on the Eastern CC. Priest can marry! Maybe I need to find one of these in my area! lol )

No the can’t—married men can be ordained, but take a vow of celibacy at ordination.

Pretty much the same story as RCC deacons, although I understand that at least in some areas, waivers are routinely granted for deacons. I can probably count the number of EC and EO waivers for that in the last two centuries and still have fingers left on one hand! (they involved very young children in need of a mother)

hawk

 

[EvangelistVictor]

I knew about the schism of 1054 A.D. but was unaware that they are now in communion with Rome. The Bishop of Rome basically wanted full power and authority over the Bishop in Constantinople, who denounced this causing the schism. I actually did a research paper on this in Seminary.

From what we where taught was that the Apostles ordained Bishops to govern the different regions and one had no authority over the other. This peace lasted 1000 years, till the Bishop in Rome flexed his muscles.

 

[EvangelistVictor]

Sounds more like a call to be an evangelist. A deacon’s work is pastoral, and outreach–visitations to the sick and homebound, ministry to the poor and needy, etc. And after posting this, I just saw Deacon Jeff’'s post, which is very thorough.
I notice your profile says you just became a Catholic this year? Have you completed RCiA?
But as everyone is telling you–talk to the diaconate formation folks.

I grew up and was raised Catholic. Was Baptized and had my 1st Holy Communion. I didn’t go beyond that, but understand the faith in Christ in my youth. I thought RCIA was for those who know nothing of the CC.

 

[dochawk]

I knew about the schism of 1054 A.D. but was unaware that they are now in communion with Rome.

The schism wasn’t taken all that seriously all that often until the failed Council of Florence, meant to resolve it but instead exacerbating it. Constantinople and Rome are still not in communion (although without the Russian Orthodox, +Benedict and +Bartholomew probably could have worked it out).

From what we where taught was that the Apostles ordained Bishops to govern the different regions and one had no authority over the other.

Oh, no; from very early, Metropolitans (arch-bishops) had some authority over their suffrage dioceses/eparchies, although it was mostly a chairman of the local synod of that same group, with some authority to act while waiting for the synod.

This peace lasted 1000 years, till the Bishop in Rome flexed his muscles.

St. John Chrysotum is known, among other things, for a tour he took in which he (quite justifiably, but I’m not sure how legally) deposed many unfit bishops. I believe this was before he became Archbishop of Constantinople.

Communion was maintained and broken between the churches on a semi-regular basis, usually by the patriarchs of the various churches.

Check out the Eastern Catholic forum, but read several long threads before posting, or you will likely start the standard arguments

hawk

 

[EvangelistVictor]

Sounds more like a call to be an evangelist.

Yes, an evangelist for sure. As a Evangelical/Pentecostal I led many people to pray the “Sinners Prayer”. Did street evangelism, prison ministry, lead worship music, went to homes to pray to cleanse out unclean spirits, etc… It was as all by the grace of God, not of my own strength.

Guess after a 10 year break, its time to get back to the work of God.