Deacon give homily

[Susanglori]

I know that the Deacon is to preach, but I think that is an extraordinary function. I agree with one of the other posters who said it is a shame to see the priest sitting there. I have the same problem with the priest standing to the side of the altar while the deacon prepares the gifts. It somehow just seems wrong. The priest is the alter Christus. The deacon is…a deacon. I think his function is more one of assisting the priest.

 

[japhy]

I know that the Deacon is to preach, but I think that is an extraordinary function. … I have the same problem with the priest standing to the side of the altar while the deacon prepares the gifts. … I think his function is more one of assisting the priest.

Reading the Gospel, preaching the homily, reading the Prayers of the Faithful, and preparing the chalice (mixing the water and the wine) are liturgical functions proper to a deacon, they are not “extraordinary functions”. He is assisting the priest by doing so.

The priest is the alter Christus. The deacon is…a deacon.

That sounds almost disdainful. The word “deacon” comes from the Greek diakonia, which means “to serve”. And what did Jesus say? “The Son of man came not to be served but to serve.” (ministrare in Latin, διακονῆσαι in Greek)

 

[benedictgal]

Sometimes laity are allowed to give reflections, not homilies. The laity is usually those in formation to be deacons both p or t.

God Bless

However, this is not to be done during the Mass and not to take place of the homily. Please note what Redemptionis Sacramentum states:

[64.] The homily, which is given in the course of the celebration of Holy Mass and is a part of the Liturgy itself,142 “should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating Priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a layperson.143 In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a Priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate”.144

[65.] It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the Eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon 767 §1.145 This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom.

[66.] The prohibition of the admission of laypersons to preach within the Mass applies also to seminarians, students of theological disciplines, and those who have assumed the function of those known as “pastoral assistants”; nor is there to be any exception for any other kind of layperson, or group, or community, or association.146

In another section RS states the following:

[161.] As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass.260 As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law.261 This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity.262 All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons.

I hope this helps.

 

[OraLabora]

Deacons preach for the same reason priests preach: it’s part of their function. Not all deacons (just as not all priests) are good homilists. Perhaps if you mentioned this to your deacon the next time he preaches – gently and constructively, of course, you’d get more substance and less fluff.

Deacon Ed

Hi Deacon Ed, I remember you from the Free Catholic Mailing List in the days of old! Glad to see you’re still around!

Deacons can also proclaim the Gospel, and in fact when a deacon is present, the deacon and not the priest is supposed to proclaim the Gospel.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

That sounds almost disdainful. The word “deacon” comes from the Greek diakonia, which means “to serve”. And what did Jesus say? “The Son of man came not to be served but to serve.” (ministrare in Latin, διακονῆσαι in Greek)

And, of course, let us not forget that historically deacons existed before priests. There were the Apostles (bishops) and then deacons and then when it became impossible for bishops to say Mass for the entire Christian community in a given location priests were ordained.

 

[puzzleannie]

Can a Deacon, not yet ordained priest, can give homily? isnt it that homily is for ordained clergy only?

the deacon is ordained clergy and yes he can give the homily, and he should be the one proclaiming the gospel.

 

[Diaconia]

The ability to preach is a gift. A lot of priests lack the same gift, so I wouldn’t generalize the deacons.

This gets to the crux of the original post, as well as similar threads (there are many) about priests and deacons who don’t preach what someone in the congregation wants or needs.

It’s something I follow with interest and would make the following observations:

• Preaching is an art, not a science - every member of the clergy can get better at it through:
• Practice
• Continuing formation (seminars, classes and so forth)
• Some priests and deacons are better public speakers than others (some have backgrounds in speech, debate, communications and other forensic disciplines)
• Every single homily “hits” a portion of the congregation, and “misses” others - (the larger and more diverse the congregation the truer this statement)
• Every homily cannot address all the needs of the community at one time (“why doesn’t Fr. preach about ______?”)
• Most preachers (and all of the truly gifted ones) like feedback - let us know what we can do to improve, and what was effective at making Christ’s word alive for you
• We want to touch you, we want to reach you, we want to make the Scriptures alive and relevant in your lives - the better we know you, the easier it is for the homilist to do that

Please pray for your priests and deacons - preaching is among the most important duties that they have been called to do – which the Church entrusts to them by conferring the gift of sacred orders.

God bless,

 

[Andy_Corder]

I know that the Deacon is to preach, but I think that is an extraordinary function. I agree with one of the other posters who said it is a shame to see the priest sitting there. I have the same problem with the priest standing to the side of the altar while the deacon prepares the gifts. It somehow just seems wrong. The priest is the alter Christus. The deacon is…a deacon. I think his function is more one of assisting the priest.

The role of the Deacon preparing the gifts is not only his ordinary role, it is biblical. In the Gospels, Jesus did not make the preparations for the Last Supper. He sent his disciples to prepare the meal for him. Consider the passage from Luke 22: 7 -8

"*When the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” *

Similar wording is found in Matthew Chapter 26 and Mark Chapter 14.

Deacon Andy

 

[benedictgal]

The role of the Deacon preparing the gifts is not only his ordinary role, it is biblical. In the Gospels, Jesus did not make the preparations for the Last Supper. He sent his disciples to prepare the meal for him. Consider the passage from Luke 22: 7 -8

"*When the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” *

Similar wording is found in Matthew Chapter 26 and Mark Chapter 14.

Deacon Andy

But, they weren’t necessarily deacons, per se. The diaconate did not happen until the Acts of the Apostles. Furthermore, when there are readings pertaining to deacons who are saints, St. Luke’s Gospel Account of the additional 72 disciples is used.

 

[Andy_Corder]

I have the same problem with the priest standing to the side of the altar while the deacon prepares the gifts. It somehow just seems wrong. The priest is the alter Christus. The deacon is…a deacon. I think his function is more one of assisting the priest.

The concern quoted frm susanglori above relates to her uneasiness with someone besides the priest preparing the gifts. My point was not to say the disciples were deacons. The point was to show that those assisting Christ were the ones who prepared the meal. He did not do it himself. Others prepared the meal he celebrated with his disciples. This does relate to the role of the deacon preparing the gifts while the priest waits. I did not say the disciples were deacons, rather that the role of someone else preparing the meal other than the celebrant was biblical.
Deacon Andy

 

[choy]

But, they weren’t necessarily deacons, per se. The diaconate did not happen until the Acts of the Apostles. Furthermore, when there are readings pertaining to deacons who are saints, St. Luke’s Gospel Account of the additional 72 disciples is used.

you can say they were transitional deacons at that time

 

[benedictgal]

you can say they were transitional deacons at that time

If that were the case, then the Gospel account cited by the poster I was responding to would have been used for diaconate ordinations.

 

[5Loaves]

USCCB has a short FAQ about Deacons

Ordination rites for each of the Holy Orders have so many beautiful elements. In the Rite for ordination of Deacons of the Latin Church one of my favorite parts is the “presentation of the Book of the Gospels”. Kneeling before his bishop each deacon places his hand on the book while his bishop says:
*“Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.” *

Thanks be to God for the restoration by the Second Vatican Council of the permanent order of Deacons in the Latin Church.

 

[japhy]

If that were the case, then the Gospel account cited by the poster I was responding to would have been used for diaconate ordinations.

There’s no reason that would have to be the case.