Interested in becoming a deacon

[SnakeMauler]

I plan on getting married to my current girlfriend. I’m going to college soon and I play on studying theology for my masters. Because I am getting married, I cannot become a priest obviously, but I’m pretty interested in becoming a deacon. The thing is, I don’t entirely understand what a deacon is (people have told me different things), nor what the role encompasses. And I’ve never really even see deacons. Is there a need? What are they?

Thanks,
Snakemauler

 

[choy]

I plan on getting married to my current girlfriend. I’m going to college soon and I play on studying theology for my masters. Because I am getting married, I cannot become a priest obviously, but I’m pretty interested in becoming a deacon. The thing is, I don’t entirely understand what a deacon is (people have told me different things), nor what the role encompasses. And I’ve never really even see deacons. Is there a need? What are they?

Thanks,
Snakemauler

here’s what the CCC says about Deacons

1569 “At a lower level of the hierarchy are to be found deacons, who receive the imposition of hands 'not unto the priesthood, but unto the ministry.”'53 At an ordination to the diaconate only the bishop lays hands on the candidate, thus signifying the deacon’s special attachment to the bishop in the tasks of his "diakonia."54

1570 Deacons share in Christ’s mission and grace in a special way.55 The sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint (“character”) which cannot be removed and which configures them to Christ, who made himself the “deacon” or servant of all.56 Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.57

1571 Since the Second Vatican Council the Latin Church has restored the diaconate "as a proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy,"58 while the Churches of the East had always maintained it. This permanent diaconate, which can be conferred on married men, constitutes an important enrichment for the Church’s mission. Indeed it is appropriate and useful that men who carry out a truly diaconal ministry in the Church, whether in its liturgical and pastoral life or whether in its social and charitable works, should "be strengthened by the imposition of hands which has come down from the apostles. They would be more closely bound to the altar and their ministry would be made more fruitful through the sacramental grace of the diaconate."59

 

[CB_Catholic]

I plan on getting married to my current girlfriend. I’m going to college soon and I play on studying theology for my masters. Because I am getting married, I cannot become a priest obviously, but I’m pretty interested in becoming a deacon. The thing is, I don’t entirely understand what a deacon is (people have told me different things), nor what the role encompasses. And I’ve never really even see deacons. Is there a need? What are they?

Thanks,
Snakemauler

Choy gave you the correct answer, but there are some practical things to know. For instance, the minimum age is usually 35; if you are married, if you become widowed, you cannot remarry; you may or may not be paid for your services, depending on the Diocese–ours does not pay them, but they can accept stipends. Also, your wife has to be on board with this.

We have two Deacons and I love them both. They are very hard-working and give so much of themselves. One is a retired teacher, but he was a Deacon for many years before he retired, and one works full-time in pastoral care at a hospital plus his duties as a Deacon. Both are married with families, but the children are older.

It is great that you are considering this for your future.

 

[SnakeMauler]

Thanks for the info guys. I wasn’t really concerned about money or looking to do it when I was like 25, 35 sounds like a decent age. I looked on my dioscescen website and it seemed to give me the impression that their role at mass and whatnot was secondary and pastoral care was first. What exactly do you do in pastoral care anyway.

 

[CDNowak]

Thanks for the info guys. I wasn’t really concerned about money or looking to do it when I was like 25, 35 sounds like a decent age. I looked on my dioscescen website and it seemed to give me the impression that their role at mass and whatnot was secondary and pastoral care was first. What exactly do you do in pastoral care anyway.

In my experience Deacons are often tasked with Marriage and Baptism prep, often make visits to the sick (bringing communion), help families plan funerals. Historically (biblically) their was much more of a focus on the care of the poor in the role of the deacon, in what would be the equivalent of food banks etc at the parish and diocesan level.

 

[choy]

you may also be sent to hospitals and to the homebound to bring Communion there

 

[CB_Catholic]

In my experience Deacons are often tasked with Marriage and Baptism prep, often make visits to the sick (bringing communion), help families plan funerals. Historically (biblically) their was much more of a focus on the care of the poor in the role of the deacon, in what would be the equivalent of food banks etc at the parish and diocesan level.

In my parish the Deacons are also in charge of RCIA and lead some of the Bible studies. The wife of one of them is in charge of the food bank, so of course her Deacon husband gets involved in that They also lead novenas and other prayer services. The things they do are numerous. In a parish with 3200 families and only 2 priests, their services are invaluable.

 

[DL82]

Deacons are ordained to the ministry of Word, Charity and Altar. The scriptural basis of the Diaconate is in Acts 6, where the Apostles appoint seven Deacons to serve at tables, to free the Apostles for prayer and the sacraments. 1 Timothy 3:12-16 also talks about the qualifications for a Deacon.

Deacons serve at the Altar, but do not say Mass - they may preside at other prayer services, communion services, adoration, and may baptise and preside at marriages. In the Byzantine Rite, the Deacon’s role in the Divine Liturgy is more obvious, he leads all the prayers of the faithful, and raises the gifts on the Altar at the Doxology. The Deacon may proclaim the gospel and preach, and is responsible for the administration of the parish under the priest.

If you’re still waiting to marry, I’d suggest talking this over with your fiancee, as a married Deacon needs his wife to be on board with the idea. The best Deacons, in my experience, have wives who actively share in their ministry, and in the Eastern Rites a Deacon’s wife (or a Priest’s wife) is seen as a vocation in its own right. It’s important to remember that your married vocation comes first, though, and not to enter into marriage as a means to becoming a married Deacon. Something else may come along, you may need to look after a sick or disabled wife or child for example, and you may never attain to the Diaconate - be sure that God will continue to bless you for performing your duties as a husband though.

Great saints who were Deacons include:
St Stephen - the first martyr of the Church
St Vincent
St Ephraem of Syria - a doctor of the Church
St Francis of Assisi

St Lawrence of Rome is another great Deacon saint - and a fantastic illustration of the ministry of the Diaconate - when the Emperor Valerian ordered him to bring him all the treasures of the Church in Rome (Deacons being entrusted with the material administration of the Church) Lawrence brought him the poor, the sick and the orphans, saying that these are the true treasures of the Church. Valerian didn’t take kindly to this and St Lawrence was martyred.

I’m also a young guy, who is also in a relationship and hoping to marry, and I also feel like the Diaconate may be for me some day.

If you’re looking for more information on the Diaconate, you might get more interest outside of the Traditional Catholicism forum, as Deacons don’t tend to have much of a role in the Traditional Latin Mass (the Latin Rite had no permanent Deacons from the 15th century until they were restored at Vatican II) - the Vocations forum and the Eastern Catholicism forum might be better places to look.