Deacon, Cardinal Deacon

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gmcbroom

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Hello All, I have a question concerning the Diaconate. Are Deacons able to hear confessions? Also are Cardinal Deacons Deacons or Priests? I’ve always been interested in the Diaconate so I want to learn all I can about that order. The priesthood interests me too but I haven’t been called to either just yet and want to learn about them in detail.
 
Hello All, I have a question concerning the Diaconate. Are Deacons able to hear confessions? Also are Cardinal Deacons Deacons or Priests? I’ve always been interested in the Diaconate so I want to learn all I can about that order. The priesthood interests me too but I haven’t been called to either just yet and want to learn about them in detail.
A Cardinal Deacon is a Bishop.

He is a lower ranking member or in a sense a juinor member of the College of Cardinals.
 
Deacons cannot hear confessions, nor celebrate the Eucharist.

Cardinal Deacons are quite distinct from the permanent diaconate, as Br Rich notes, they are usually bishops.

However, I believe there are two Priests who are Cardinal Deacons: Fr Roberto Tucci, SJ and Albert Vanhoye, SJ (and until his death in 2008 Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ). Each was granted an exception from the requirement that all cardinals be ordained to the episcopate.
 
There are three classes of cardinals: Cardinal Bishops, Cardinal Priests, and Cardinal Deacons. These terms (bishop, priest, and deacon) are not referring to their ordained state but are simply names for the three classes (or ranks if you will) of cardinals. Technically speaking, cardinals can be any man (of a certain age) lay or ordained. However, in recent history (and perhaps by law now) it is customary for a cardinal to be a bishop. (The priests mentioned above are good examples.)

So, for instance, a bishop may be appointed to the cardinalate and become a cardinal deacon. This simply means that he is a cardinal in the lowest class of cardinals. (It is interesting to note, however, that cardinal deacons often vest as deacons at papal masses. They are not deacons but they serve the role of the deacon at Mass or Vespers.)
 
The Cardinals represent the original clergy - bishops, priests, and deacons - of the churches in and around Rome. Each is assigned a titular church in Rome.

As I recall the Cardinal Bishops are high level members of the Vatican Curia. Most of the Cardinal Deacons are also members of the Curia. Most of the Cardinals who serve outside Rome are Cardinal Priests. I think there are seven Cardinal Bishops and seven Cardinal Deacons. The rest are Cardinal Priests. **
 
Hello All, I have a question concerning the Diaconate. Are Deacons able to hear confessions? Also are Cardinal Deacons Deacons or Priests? I’ve always been interested in the Diaconate so I want to learn all I can about that order. The priesthood interests me too but I haven’t been called to either just yet and want to learn about them in detail.
Since Deacons are ordained “not unto the priesthood, but unto the ministry” (CCC #1569) they can not hear confessions because they don’t have the authority to absolve sins in the name of Jesus (that is given to the priest). I’m not sure what you mean by Cardinal Deacons… The deacon is involved in sacramental tasks such as baptism & marriage , in preaching at mass & in works of charity & self sacrifice outside of mass. Married men may be ordained to the diaconate, but if you are single at the time of ordination you must make a promise not to marry (because it is a tradition of the Church to remain celibate for the sake of the kingdom of heaven). Keeping in mind also ( and this is from talking with a deacon) that a married deacon’s family still comes first (well 2nd after God of course but you understand what I mean)…

This is probably just a layman’s opinion so I beg for forgiveness & for the counsel of much wiser people than myself but it seems to me that the Deacon is the priest’s “right hand man”.

I think its wonderful that you are discerning your vocation! I will pray for you that the Lord leads you to do His will, whatever that may be!

Permanent Diaconate… thats sounds like an awesome vocation:thumbsup:

Your brother in Christ,
Zachary

P.S. I don’t mean to be a prick but shouldnt this be in the vocations section?
 
The Cardinals represent the original clergy - bishops, priests, and deacons - of the churches in and around Rome. Each is assigned a titular church in Rome.

As I recall the Cardinal Bishops are high level members of the Vatican Curia. Most of the Cardinal Deacons are also members of the Curia. Most of the Cardinals who serve outside Rome are Cardinal Priests. I think there are seven Cardinal Bishops and seven Cardinal Deacons. The rest are Cardinal Priests. **

Catholic-Hierarchy has the lists of Cardinals, in order of precedence: Cardinal Bishops (6+3 Patriarchs), Cardinal Priests (145), Cardinal Deacons (28).

The Wiki article seems accurate, since there have been changes since the Catholic encyclopedia article.
 
Cardinal: originally, meant “of the diocese of Rome”, but has come to mean “Papal Elector”

Cardinal-Patriarch: Patriarch of a Sui Iuris Church whose Cardinatial see is his patriarchal see. Senior-most in cardinatial precedence, after the officers of the College. In liturgical precedence, their Patriarchal status outweighs.

Cardinal-Bishop: Bishop and cardinal whose cardinatial see is a major parish of the diocese of Rome; the traditional sees in this small group are the “Suburbican sees”:
Albano, Frascati, Ostia, Palestrina, Porto – Santa Rufina, Sabina – Poggio Mirteto, Velletri

Cardinal-Priests: Bishop and Cardinal, tho in the past, some were priest & cardinal. Major parishes thoughout the Diocese of Rome have these cardinals assigned as “Cardinal-Protector” (and titular bishop of the parish).

Cardinal-Deacons: Bishop and Cardinal or Priest and Cardinal, in the past deacon and cardinal or layman and cardinal.
Less important parishes have these men assigned as Cardinal protectors.

Originally, all such titles were issued to persons of the given level of ordination, to indicate their vote in the Roman see for the new Bishop of Rome… the 7 Cardinal-Bishop parishes traditionally also housed Rome’s suffragan bishops.
 
Thank you all for responding. Prodo, the reason I didn’t post this question in the vocation forum was because I wanted to learn more about Deacons, Cardinal deacons, and what not. While I may be intersted in the Diaconate in the future that is not my goal at this time. I would like to see if I can have a family to carry on the family line as it were first. Then whether or not that occurs If I get the call then perhaps…But, not before.
 
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