Deacon Baptism Question

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Adonis33

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My sister in law is about to have her baby baptized. The Parish this event will take place in told her that since it will be a private baptism - a deacon will perform the baptism. She called many parishes and they all said the same thing.

I thought that the prists were suppossed to perform the baptism’s. Are deacon’s allowed to perform routine baptism’s? Is it different diocese to diocese?
 
Deacons may preside over baptisms, weddings and funerals. They cannot celebrate Mass (more specifically the consecration) and cannot hear confessions or perform anointing of the sick (because it involves forgiveness of sins). Hope this helps!🙂
 
kell0618 said:
Deacons may preside over baptisms, weddings and funerals. They cannot celebrate Mass (more specifically the consecration) and cannot hear confessions or perform anointing of the sick (because it involves forgiveness of sins). Hope this helps!🙂
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Thank you.
 
Many years ago, a priest [explaining the role of deacons to our RCIA] explained it this way:

"Deacons can ‘match them’ [witness a marriage], ‘splash them’ [perform baptisms] and ‘dispatch them’ [funerals].

They cannot hear confessions, Preside at any Mass, Annoint the Sick, etc.

By the way, even a lay person can validly baptize in an emergecy as long as they use the proper formula…like an extremely ill infant in a hospital
 
here deacons do most of the baptisms, and most of the weddings, since there are very few couples who wish a full nuptial Mass. Most church weddings are convalidations or mixed marriages, where a Mass is not forbidden but at least discouraged. They also do most of the funerals unless the family specifically requests a Mass.
 
I am disappointed to see that people continue to be ignorant about the ministries of the Deacon. I’m not disappointed in the people, but in the Church herself. The Diaconate has been available as a stable Order for 37 years now, yet people are still unaware of what a Deacon is capable of doing. 😦
 
And if it isn’t mentioned, please suggest to your sister that an offering of a stipend be made to the deacon. He will appreciate it (I know our deacon does, and my friend’s husband, who is a deacon, would as well).
 
puzzleannie said:
here deacons do most of the baptisms, and most of the weddings, since there are very few couples who wish a full nuptial Mass. Most church weddings are convalidations or mixed marriages, where a Mass is not forbidden but at least discouraged. They also do most of the funerals unless the family specifically requests a Mass.
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While not disparaging the deacons, I am sorry to see them doing funerals. I think every soul should have a mass to support him on his way. It is important to make your funeral arrangements in advance. I see too many of the elderly getting a minimal funeral from their children who no longer go to church. 😦
 
There are several components to a “full” funeral, and of them, the Mass is just one component (granted probably the most important). The deacon can perform all of them but the Mass itself, and I suspect that more and more priests are having deacons handle the wake service and some of the graveside services, while they celebrate the Funeral Mass.

You’re absolutely right that it’s terrible to see people not getting Funeral Masses because their children don’t go to church any more.

My Great Aunt was killed in a car accident some years ago, and none of her children are regular Catholic attendees, yet she herself was a faithful Catholic. I watched her memorial become a disaster because no one quite knew what to do.

As a result, I generated a document that outlines my funeral wishes. My wife knows where to find it on the computer. If something should happen to both of us, the local mortician (a fellow Lion) knows where the document is too. I’m covered.

(Is it ilicit or tacky of me to request that the Gloria be sung at my funeral?)
 
Benediction can also be done by Deacons.

Further, Marriage preparations are being done more and more by Deacons.

It is easier to list what is reserved to the higher clerical states:
Bishops: Ordinations, anathemas, and confirmation.
Priests: Forgiveness of sins & hearing of confessions, consecration of the Eucharist, Baptism during mass.

Note that confirmation can be delegated when need is present, but not routinely delegated; each confirmation must be individually assigned to a specific priest. Likewise, confirmation of catecumens can be done by the local pastor on the easter vigil, but only as part of the vigil mass.

Also note that the Eastern rites differ in what Deacons may do.
 
Adonis33 said:
I thought that the prists were suppossed to perform the baptism’s. Are deacon’s allowed to perform routine baptism’s? Is it different diocese to diocese?
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Anyone can baptize another person so long as the Trinitarian formula is used. HOWEVER the Norm is for a Deacon or Priest. Priests recieve their Authority to perform church baptisms when they become deacons. My eldest child was baptised by a deacon in a private ceremony. The other 3 children were baptised during regular Sunday Mass by our priest. All four of my children have recieved the Sacrament equally. I am sure you realize that a Baptism is a Baptism is a Baptism so long as the correct formula is used. In my diocese the parishes that have Permanent deacons almost ALL of the baptisms are performed by the deacon. A deacon can baptise during Mass as well.
 
MusicMan said:
I am disappointed to see that people continue to be ignorant about the ministries of the Deacon. I’m not disappointed in the people, but in the Church herself. The Diaconate has been available as a stable Order for 37 years now, yet people are still unaware of what a Deacon is capable of doing. 😦
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Hmm…Musicman have your stated the process yet? Are you going to cross the river and go with the archdiocese or stay in Cheeseland? Based what I have read on these boards I get the impression that you would be a great deacon. I grew up in the archdiocese (not living there anymore) and actually am quite skeptical of their orthodoxy. (or lack there of)
 
THurifer2 said:
Anyone can baptize another person so long as the Trinitarian formula is used. HOWEVER the Norm is for a Deacon or Priest. Priests recieve their Authority to perform church baptisms when they become deacons. My eldest child was baptised by a deacon in a private ceremony. The other 3 children were baptised during regular Sunday Mass by our priest. All four of my children have recieved the Sacrament equally. I am sure you realize that a Baptism is a Baptism is a Baptism so long as the correct formula is used. In my diocese the parishes that have Permanent deacons almost ALL of the baptisms are performed by the deacon. A deacon can baptise during Mass as well.
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Baptisms by anyone other than a priest or deacon, can only be done in the case of an emergency, where the person could die.

Jim
 
My deacon’s version of that little phrase is “hatch them, match them, and dispatch them.” One of our deacons convalidated our marriage and also baptized our children.

There are those who disagree with these expanded powers.

Take a look at Richard Gaillardetz’s article. He has published a decent amount on this issue.

bostondiaconate.org/Deacons/Are_Deacons_the_Answer.html

Gaillardetz’s questioning of the extent of papal infallibility and how it is viewed today has won him fans in the women’s ordination crowd and those seeking to expand lay ministry, but he seems firmly rooted in his assumptions on the diaconate.
 
THurifer2 said:
Hmm…Musicman have your stated the process yet? Are you going to cross the river and go with the archdiocese or stay in Cheeseland? Based what I have read on these boards I get the impression that you would be a great deacon. I grew up in the archdiocese (not living there anymore) and actually am quite skeptical of their orthodoxy. (or lack there of)
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Thurifer, thank you so much for the kind words. I would be humbled to be a deacon in the service of Christ’s Church. However, our diocese has no plans to run another class of deacons anytime soon. The Bishop continues to tell people that he wants to see how the deacons ordained four years ago do before he runs another class. His continued unwillingness to begin another class has been very frustrating to many in our diocese.

I have also been quite frustrated with the “runaround” that I get from the Diaconate Office.

When the Lord believes I am ready to serve, I believe that I will know. Until then, patience and prayer, and lots of learning on CAF.
 
MusicMan said:
Thurifer, thank you so much for the kind words. .
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Hey I call a duck a duck when I see one. I have been tossing around the idea for quite some time…we have a new Bishop in our diocese and my parish deacon has informed me that at their April convocation the bishop announced that he is starting the ball rolling “immediately” for the next class. My parish has two good deacons…One is VERY dedicated to his vocation…I have mentioned over the last few years the desire to at least strongly consider the diaconate. I called the diaconate office around a year ago and gave them my name…meanwhile my deacon told me that if they have my name that is all I need to do. He specifically told me to and I quote " do not be a thorn in their side" (whatever that means) He assured me that as long as they have my name they will contact me. I do remember checking some of your posts for awhile back …if I remember correctly you definately had more than enough education to tackle diaconate formation…Hang in there!!!
 
Come to Chicago, we have over 800 ordained men of which over 650 are still actively practicing since the reintroduction of the diaconate. We are the largest congregation in the entire world and stilll we have parishes without deacons. If you are wondering where the rest are, some have been incardinated into different dioceses, some have retired or have died.

God bless our deacons!
 
Digitonomy said:
Is this really the reason? Baptism also involves forgiveness of sins.
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I asked an instructor in our diaconate formation program the same question re: Baptism also involving forgiveness of sins. The answer I got was that the concern comes from the fact that many people receiving Sacrament of the Sick also wanting to confess, with deacons obviously not able to administer Reconciliation - that the 2 sacraments in the setting of a sickroom are often performed in a “seamless” manner. If someone is unconscious, that’s less of an issue, but that’s the major concern as I understand it. The priests in our diocese would LOVE for deacons to be able to administer Sacrament of the Sick, so someone else would get the 2 AM phone calls.
 
The Second Vatican Council lists the deacon’s liturgical and pastoral functions: “to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, 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, to officiate at funeral and burial services” (LG 29).

This is taken from a pastoral document regarding the diaconate…to read it in its entirety…
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/alpha/data/aud19931013en.html and for more information on why deacons nor laypersons do not administer the sacrament of the sick…check out this link from the US Council of Catholic bishops.
usccb.org/deacon/cdfsacrament.shtml
 
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