Question for deacons, do most of you have "day jobs"?

[ToeInTheWater]

I am asking because the only Catholic deacon I have met in RL, was (and I assume still is, though I have lost touch with him) a physician as well. AFAIK he had no problems balancing his very busy professional life with his duties as deacon, he was also married, though with only one child (he may have more by now).

However, I was also somewhat puzzled because one of the main arguments for a celibate clergy is that a priest should have no distractions from his vocation. How does a deacon’s vocation differ? I’m also curious as to what exactly a “usual day” is like for a deacon, and how it is split between their clerical and secular obligations.

 

[angell1]

I am asking because the only Catholic deacon I have met in RL, was (and I assume still is, though I have lost touch with him) a physician as well. AFAIK he had no problems balancing his very busy professional life with his duties as deacon, he was also married, though with only one child (he may have more by now).

However, I was also somewhat puzzled because one of the main arguments for a celibate clergy is that a priest should have no distractions from his vocation. How does a deacon’s vocation differ? I’m also curious as to what exactly a “usual day” is like for a deacon, and how it is split between their clerical and secular obligations.

well, if they are already married, they have to support their families somehow.

if they are not, they still have to support their own living.

as for the rest, I am not sure, so someone else can answer

 

[MaryT777]

I have wondered the same thing as well.

 

[phil19034]

I am asking because the only Catholic deacon I have met in RL, was (and I assume still is, though I have lost touch with him) a physician as well. AFAIK he had no problems balancing his very busy professional life with his duties as deacon, he was also married, though with only one child (he may have more by now).

However, I was also somewhat puzzled because one of the main arguments for a celibate clergy is that a priest should have no distractions from his vocation. How does a deacon’s vocation differ? I’m also curious as to what exactly a “usual day” is like for a deacon, and how it is split between their clerical and secular obligations.

I’m not a Deacon, though I’m discerning it.

Yes, most Deacon’s have a “day job” (unless they are now retired from their day job). In my Archdiocese, to enroll in the Seminary to become a Deacon, you have to be between the ages of 29 and 55 (obviously, you would be much older by the time you are ordained), so all Deacons are ordained in Philly well before they turn 65 (unless they take a very long time).

Permanent Deacons are told that their first priority, aka their first vocation, is their marriage. Their marriage comes before the Diaconate. So the parish activity level of a Deacon can differ greatly depending on his family.

For example: my parish has 3 Deacons. 2 have full time jobs and 1 is retired. The retired Deacon is often in & out of the parish during day. 1 of Deacons who works full time is often at the Parish for beginning of several Masses on Sunday, plus he’s usually at all Parish meetings and Adult Faith events, & does all the Stations of the Cross and other special Benedictions. The third Deacon is at one Mass on Sundays and other Special, Solemn Masses (Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas, etc). The third Deacon is around the parish the least.

I know 4 other Deacons who retired from their secular jobs and now work for their parishes as Parish Administrators. One of them is also the Parish School Nurse and Health teacher (he was a Nurse for years for the VA). And of these 4 Deacons, 2 of them have wives who are also parish employees: 1 is the DRE, the other is the Pastor’s Assistant.

So how does this differ from a Priest. For starters: You don’t have to have a Deacon at every Mass. While Deacons can perform Baptisms outside of Mass (and in some parishes, Deacons do almost all the Baptisms) they can’t hear Confessions, perform Anointment of the Sick, can’t Confirm, etc. And while they can witness a wedding, most Catholic weddings are Wedding Masses, which require a priest. And in regards to funerals, most funerals are have a Funeral Mass (though in theory a Deacon could handle the wake and burial, while the Priest handles the Mass - but most people still want a priest).

So Deacons are limited regarding how they can help Father. They can take a homily here and there, but still limited. However, I know several Deacons who make frequent trips to prisons, retirement homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, to shut-ins, etc. This ministry to service is a huge help to the priests because the Deacon can bring the Eucharist with him, pray over & with the people in these places because it expands the clergy presence.

But again, Deacons do all of this as their schedule allows. Priests on the other hand are “on call” all the time for their flock. In a sense, a Priest literally works 7 days a week, from time time he starts his morning prayer until he goes to bed (though some days he may have a lighter schedule).

The Permanent Deacon’s time commitment to a Parish is similar to a part time Protestant minister, while a Catholic Priest has a full time job. And if the priest’s responsibilities at his parish are light, you can be sure the Bishop will assign him additional duties.

In closing, except while in formation, a Permanent Deacon’s “obligations” to the parish are not different than an active lay minister. It’s 100% volunteer and as they have time to donate to the parish. Not much different from how a lay volunteer balances his/her time between the parish and family.

I pray this helps, and I’m sure if I misrepresented anything the Deacons here will chime in.

God Bless

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

I’m not a Deacon, though I’m discerning it.

Yes, most Deacon’s have a “day job” (unless they are now retired from their day job). In my Archdiocese, to enroll in the Seminary to become a Deacon, you have to be between the ages of 29 and 55 (obviously, you would be much older by the time you are ordained), so all Deacons are ordained in Philly well before they turn 65 (unless they take a very long time).

Permanent Deacons are told that their first priority, aka their first vocation, is their marriage. Their marriage comes before the Diaconate. So the parish activity level of a Deacon can differ greatly depending on his family.

For example: my parish has 3 Deacons. 2 have full time jobs and 1 is retired. The retired Deacon is often in & out of the parish during day. 1 of Deacons who works full time is often at the Parish for beginning of several Masses on Sunday, plus he’s usually at all Parish meetings and Adult Faith events, & does all the Stations of the Cross and other special Benedictions. The third Deacon is at one Mass on Sundays and other Special, Solemn Masses (Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas, etc). The third Deacon is around the parish the least.

I know 4 other Deacons who retired from their secular jobs and now work for their parishes as Parish Administrators. One of them is also the Parish School Nurse and Health teacher (he was a Nurse for years for the VA). And of these 4 Deacons, 2 of them have wives who are also parish employees: 1 is the DRE, the other is the Pastor’s Assistant.

So how does this differ from a Priest. For starters: You don’t have to have a Deacon at every Mass. While Deacons can perform Baptisms outside of Mass (and in some parishes, Deacons do almost all the Baptisms) they can’t hear Confessions, perform Anointment of the Sick, can’t Confirm, etc. And while they can witness a wedding, most Catholic weddings are Wedding Masses, which require a priest. And in regards to funerals, most funerals are have a Funeral Mass (though in theory a Deacon could handle the wake and burial, while the Priest handles the Mass - but most people still want a priest).

So Deacons are limited regarding how they can help Father. They can take a homily here and there, but still limited. However, I know several Deacons who make frequent trips to prisons, retirement homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, to shut-ins, etc. This ministry to service is a huge help to the priests because the Deacon can bring the Eucharist with him, pray over & with the people in these places because it expands the clergy presence.

But again, Deacons do all of this as their schedule allows. Priests on the other hand are “on call” all the time for their flock. In a sense, a Priest literally works 7 days a week, from time time he starts his morning prayer until he goes to bed (though some days he may have a lighter schedule).

The Permanent Deacon’s time commitment to a Parish is similar to a part time Protestant minister, while a Catholic Priest has a full time job. And if the priest’s responsibilities at his parish are light, you can be sure the Bishop will assign him additional duties.

In closing, except while in formation, a Permanent Deacon’s “obligations” to the parish are not different than an active lay minister. It’s 100% volunteer and as they have time to donate to the parish. Not much different from how a lay volunteer balances his/her time between the parish and family.

I pray this helps, and I’m sure if I misrepresented anything the Deacons here will chime in.

God Bless

Excellent summary! I am discerning also, and this fits with my understanding and discussions.

 

[mdgspencer]

Thank for this–I find it very informative and interesting.

I’m not a Deacon, though I’m discerning it.

Yes, most Deacon’s have a “day job” (unless they are now retired from their day job). In my Archdiocese, to enroll in the Seminary to become a Deacon, you have to be between the ages of 29 and 55 (obviously, you would be much older by the time you are ordained), so all Deacons are ordained in Philly well before they turn 65 (unless they take a very long time).

Permanent Deacons are told that their first priority, aka their first vocation, is their marriage. Their marriage comes before the Diaconate. So the parish activity level of a Deacon can differ greatly depending on his family.

For example: my parish has 3 Deacons. 2 have full time jobs and 1 is retired. The retired Deacon is often in & out of the parish during day. 1 of Deacons who works full time is often at the Parish for beginning of several Masses on Sunday, plus he’s usually at all Parish meetings and Adult Faith events, & does all the Stations of the Cross and other special Benedictions. The third Deacon is at one Mass on Sundays and other Special, Solemn Masses (Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas, etc). The third Deacon is around the parish the least.

I know 4 other Deacons who retired from their secular jobs and now work for their parishes as Parish Administrators. One of them is also the Parish School Nurse and Health teacher (he was a Nurse for years for the VA). And of these 4 Deacons, 2 of them have wives who are also parish employees: 1 is the DRE, the other is the Pastor’s Assistant.

So how does this differ from a Priest. For starters: You don’t have to have a Deacon at every Mass. While Deacons can perform Baptisms outside of Mass (and in some parishes, Deacons do almost all the Baptisms) they can’t hear Confessions, perform Anointment of the Sick, can’t Confirm, etc. And while they can witness a wedding, most Catholic weddings are Wedding Masses, which require a priest. And in regards to funerals, most funerals are have a Funeral Mass (though in theory a Deacon could handle the wake and burial, while the Priest handles the Mass - but most people still want a priest).

So Deacons are limited regarding how they can help Father. They can take a homily here and there, but still limited. However, I know several Deacons who make frequent trips to prisons, retirement homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, to shut-ins, etc. This ministry to service is a huge help to the priests because the Deacon can bring the Eucharist with him, pray over & with the people in these places because it expands the clergy presence.

But again, Deacons do all of this as their schedule allows. Priests on the other hand are “on call” all the time for their flock. In a sense, a Priest literally works 7 days a week, from time time he starts his morning prayer until he goes to bed (though some days he may have a lighter schedule).

The Permanent Deacon’s time commitment to a Parish is similar to a part time Protestant minister, while a Catholic Priest has a full time job. And if the priest’s responsibilities at his parish are light, you can be sure the Bishop will assign him additional duties.

In closing, except while in formation, a Permanent Deacon’s “obligations” to the parish are not different than an active lay minister. It’s 100% volunteer and as they have time to donate to the parish. Not much different from how a lay volunteer balances his/her time between the parish and family.

I pray this helps, and I’m sure if I misrepresented anything the Deacons here will chime in.

God Bless

 

[starlady88]

My dad is celebrating his 5 year anniversary as a deacon this year. He is a sales representative for a seed company in his rural area. While this keeps him very busy (especially during planting and harvesting seasons), he still participates a lot in parish activities.

I think to what extent deacons participate depends somewhat on the deacon, the priest, and the area. My hometown shares a priest with a neighboring town, and the deacons often assist at liturgies at both parishes. Prior to my dad’s ordination, there were three deacons, but they were rarely seen at Mass. After my dad was ordained, they became more active. In fact, my dad usually serves at whichever Mass he happens to go to during the weekend, even if he is not preaching (if he’s doing the homily, he goes to all Masses at both parishes!). Being a rural area, there are perhaps fewer ministry opportunities (not a lot of “prison ministry,” homeless shelters, etc. to be active in). My dad does, however, visit nursing homes, do baptisms, bless homes, etc. as requested of him.

In our diocese, if the deacon is married, his wife must give her consent for him to enter into formation as a candidate, and then must give consent again at the end for him to be ordained. The man can say yes, the person in charge of formation can say yes, even the bishop can say yes, but if the wife says no, the man will not and cannot be ordained. So marriage as the deacon’s first vocation is extremely important. And while the deacon vows obedience to the bishop, most of the time the bishop will not order that the deacon move to another parish or drastically change his duties as that usually would involve uprooting the family.

 

[MissRose73]

My diocese will have about 4 or 5 men ordained to the permanent diaconate this year. All of them have full time work and a wife and family.

One of the candidates is in my parish, and at Mass, he usually assists in purifying some of the vessels after Communion, making sure things are ready to go before Mass, and sometimes does some form of lay liturgical ministry as needed. I am not sure what he will do once ordained within our parish but I am sure he will do some of the things our pastoral admin does like visiting shut ins/senior homes, doing funeral home vigils (lead rosary, etc), etc

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

I am asking because the only Catholic deacon I have met in RL, was (and I assume still is, though I have lost touch with him) a physician as well. AFAIK he had no problems balancing his very busy professional life with his duties as deacon, he was also married, though with only one child (he may have more by now).

However, I was also somewhat puzzled because one of the main arguments for a celibate clergy is that a priest should have no distractions from his vocation. How does a deacon’s vocation differ? I’m also curious as to what exactly a “usual day” is like for a deacon, and how it is split between their clerical and secular obligations.

Simply put, a deacons vocation is to act as an auxiliary. Part time, seasonal help sort of thing. They aren’t expected to be available 24/7 the way a priest is.

Virtually all permanent deacons have “day jobs” unless they’re retired (or independently wealthy, I guess.)

 

[Rasoleil]

Is it possible to be a Deacon if one is disabled and on S.S. Disability?

 

[phil19034]

Is it possible to be a Deacon if one is disabled and on S.S. Disability?

I guess it would depend on the disability. If a long term disability prevents the fulfillment of the Deacon’s responsibilities, the man would not be admitted to formation (same thing with the priesthood).

However, being ordained as a permanent Deacon is a volunteer position. How much you make is not a factor.

Does this answer your question?

 

[Rasoleil]

Thanks, and yes it does answer my question. I don’t think my disabilities would preclude me from becoming a Deacon. I have Epilepsy and PTSD, for example, but I haven’t had a seizure in years and have everything under control. Obviously I will never be healed completely, but being involved in the Church and praying daily has helped me tremendously. I am presently active in my church as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. I believe that spiritual healing is as much as, if not more important as any medication and therapy. I’ve come to the realization, and this took decades, that suffering, in it’s own way, can be a gift and bring one closer to Christ. Not that I enjoy suffering, mind you, but hope you get my meaning.

 

[phil19034]

Thanks, and yes it does answer my question. I don’t think my disabilities would preclude me from becoming a Deacon. I have Epilepsy and PTSD, for example, but I haven’t had a seizure in years and have everything under control. Obviously I will never be healed completely, but being involved in the Church and praying daily has helped me tremendously. I am presently active in my church as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. I believe that spiritual healing is as much as, if not more important as any medication and therapy. I’ve come to the realization, and this took decades, that suffering, in it’s own way, can be a gift and bring one closer to Christ. Not that I enjoy suffering, mind you, but hope you get my meaning.

Pray on it and speak to your vocations director. God Bless!

 

[ToeInTheWater]

The topic has evolved from my OP, but I just wanted to thank everyone who replied. It seems deacons are not paid any salary by the Church. I have one more question; I understand that when a priest performs a baptism, wedding, or funeral, it is customary for a “priest stipend” to be provided (not sure if this considered a payment or a donation). Do deacons who perform baptisms and weddings also get paid a stipend?

 

[starlady88]

The topic has evolved from my OP, but I just wanted to thank everyone who replied. It seems deacons are not paid any salary by the Church. I have one more question; I understand that when a priest performs a baptism, wedding, or funeral, it is customary for a “priest stipend” to be provided (not sure if this considered a payment or a donation). Do deacons who perform baptisms and weddings also get paid a stipend?

I suppose they could be. It may depend on the deacon/parish. When I worked as a parish secretary, the stipend was given to whoever was celebrating the sacrament, whether it was the pastor, associate pastor, or the deacon. They are mostly considered donations. In that parish, we had “suggested” donations for each sacrament, but it was up to the family to decide how much, if anything. Ultimately, we couldn’t refuse to baptize a child or marry a couple (for example) solely based on inability to give a stipend. A sacrament is not really supposed to a business transaction.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

The topic has evolved from my OP, but I just wanted to thank everyone who replied. It seems deacons are not paid any salary by the Church. I have one more question; I understand that when a priest performs a baptism, wedding, or funeral, it is customary for a “priest stipend” to be provided (not sure if this considered a payment or a donation). Do deacons who perform baptisms and weddings also get paid a stipend?

My dad is a deacon. Typically when he does a wedding or baptism the family will give him a card with a monetary gift…some larger, some smaller. It’s not expected or required, and you obviously can’t charge for a sacrament.

So in practice, yes, there is usually a gift of some kind. It’s completely voluntary, and there’s no particular amount that is expected. In any case, it’s not nearly enough that someone could make a living that way. I think my dad just tucks it away in a drawer and at the end of the year there might be $500ish in there.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

My dad is a deacon. Typically when he does a wedding or baptism the family will give him a card with a monetary gift…some larger, some smaller. It’s not expected or required, and you obviously can’t charge for a sacrament.

Thanks for the information, I know there is no actual “charge” for a sacrament, although I have heard of some abuses and people not getting baptized or married in a Catholic Church because they “can’t afford it”, although some of that is from ex-Catholics or from Catholics who rationalize cohabitation because they “can’t afford to get married” though I suspect a donation for the priest would make up about 1% of the actual expense.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

However, being ordained as a permanent Deacon is a volunteer position. How much you make is not a factor.

Correct, but our archdiocese requires men to be “financially stable” before being admitted to formation. You may wish to check with the director of the diaconate in your diocese for specifics.