Responsibilities of Deacons

[michleader]

My family and I have been attending the same church for many years and are now noticing changes taking place in the Mass which we have not seen before. For example, during two Masses we attended the sermon was spoken by the deacon assisting the priest at Mass, while the priest just sat there perfectly capable of delivering his own homily. So, on Christmas Eve, we decided to go to another church my daughter believed was holding to a more traditional Mass and there, too, we were surprised to see that the deacon was the homilist while two priests stayed seated on the altar and the main celebrant went off into the sacristy until it was over!

 

[lak611]

It is acceptable for a deacon to give a homily.

 

[Titus]

My family and I have been attending the same church for many years and are now noticing changes taking place in the Mass which we have not seen before. For example, during two Masses we attended the sermon was spoken by the deacon assisting the priest at Mass, while the priest just sat there perfectly capable of delivering his own homily. So, on Christmas Eve, we decided to go to another church my daughter believed was holding to a more traditional Mass and there, too, we were surprised to see that the deacon was the homilist while two priests stayed seated on the altar and the main celebrant went off into the sacristy until it was over!

The deacon may give a homily. However the celebrant shouldn’ t leave the sanctuary during the mass (although perhaps there was a good reason which was not obvious).

Canon 767: The homily is preeminent among the forms of preaching and is reserved to the priest or deacon.

 

[Brendan]

Yes, that is perfectly fine. Deacons may give homilies, it’s one of the things they are Ordained to do.

In fact, in one of the ways a deacon can take some of the ‘load’ off of the preist.

If having the deacon do all the prep work for the homily frees up some time for the priest to accomplish things reserved to a priest or the priest’s role as pastor, then more power to 'em.

 

[Vox_Borealis]

Yes, that is perfectly fine. Deacons may give homilies, it’s one of the things they are Ordained to do.

In fact, in one of the ways a deacon can take some of the ‘load’ off of the preist.

If having the deacon do all the prep work for the homily frees up some time for the priest to accomplish things reserved to a priest or the priest’s role as pastor, then more power to 'em.

Yes, but within limits. According to the GIRM the homily is normally to be given by the celebrating priest:

1. The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person.65 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.

So, we would need to know more about the OP’s old parish. Has the priest given the job of the homily exclusively to the deacon(s)? Bad. Were the two deacon-homilies spread over two months or something like that? Perfectly fine.

As for Christmas, with all the masses that priests had to give in the span of a day and a haf, especially this year with Christmas on Monday, it is quite reasonable that he would have the deacon give a homily or two.

 

[decn2b]

It is perfectly acceptable for the deacon to give the homily so long as the parish priest is the “normal” homilist. I must admit the most unbelievable sermon I have ever heard was given by a deacon who was in his “secular life” an corporate trainer and motivational speaker. Absolutely set the congregation on fire with his unbelievably captivating and “orthodox” homily. I believe the homily was on the real presence and the sacrifice of the Mass. People were in tears when they went to recieve after that homily. It was a regular upper room experience.

 

[Sam88]

The deacon is ordained to teach and to preach, so I don’t see a problem if a deacon gives a homily occasionally; I wouldn’t see any problem unless the pastor never gives a homily. If the deacon is a gifted homilist it would be wise for the pastor to ask the deacon to preach often. This is the pastor’s decision.

In the parishes I have attended around 20 to 30% of the homilies were given by the pastor, with perhaps 10% by deacons and the remainder by other priests. Of course these percentages may vary depending on the availability of priests (or deacons). In my current parish, the pastor normally gives a homily almost every Sunday, but usually only once with the other three masses being handled by others.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My family and I have been attending the same church for many years and are now noticing changes taking place in the Mass which we have not seen before. For example, during two Masses we attended the sermon was spoken by the deacon assisting the priest at Mass, while the priest just sat there perfectly capable of delivering his own homily. So, on Christmas Eve, we decided to go to another church my daughter believed was holding to a more traditional Mass and there, too, we were surprised to see that the deacon was the homilist while two priests stayed seated on the altar and the main celebrant went off into the sacristy until it was over!

A Deacon is Ordained to assist the Bishop, preach the Gospel and care for the poor and needy of the parish. The Book of the Gospels is presented to them at their Ordination. They are to preach a homily at least once every couple of weeks or months. Remembering that many priests celebrated 7 to 10 or more Masses last weekend it would be proper for a Deacon to assist the celebrating priest in this manner.

 

[MusicMan]

I see many questions (and sometimes complaints) in our forums and over at EWTN about the role of the deacon. Sometimes, these questions can be downright nasty towards the deacons, and the questioner completely in the wrong. The lack of knowledge about deacons that many Catholics have is an issue of concern.

We all need to take it upon ourselves, as we have done here, to continue to educate the Faithful about the role of deacons in the Church.

 

[Elzee]

Our deacons read the gospel every Sunday and give the homily about once every 3-4 weeks.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I see many questions (and sometimes complaints) in our forums and over at EWTN about the role of the deacon. Sometimes, these questions can be downright nasty towards the deacons, and the questioner completely in the wrong. The lack of knowledge about deacons that many Catholics have is an issue of concern.

We all need to take it upon ourselves, as we have done here, to continue to educate the Faithful about the role of deacons in the Church.

Maybe this will help:

The Deacon in Catholic history and today.

“The deacon is at the disposal of the Bishop in order that he may serve the whole people of God and take care of the sick and the poor.” Ad Pascendum - 1972 Apostolic letter containing the norms for the order of Diaconate. St. Ignatius of Antioch speaks of the office of deacon as nothing short of the ministry of Christ Himself. St. Justin Martyr in his *Second Apology *makes the first reference to the liturgical functions of the deacon.

The deaconate was very prominent during the Apostolic age, we all know the story of St. Stephen, the first martyr. Acts 6:1-15 and 7:54-60 St. Paul speak of being at the service of the Gospel it in his letter to the Philippians and 1 Timothy 3 where he speaks of the qualities of a deacon. The permanent deaconate quickly faded by the forth or fifth century however as most men decided to move on to the priesthood instead of remaining as deacons for the rest of their lives.

We know that the office existed always in the Eastern Church and that St. Francis of Assisi in the early 1200’s was ordained a deacon. The Council of Trent mentioned the deaconate and Pope Pius XII suggested a restoration of it a permanent order specifying the sacramentality of the deaconate in Sacramentum Ordinis in 1947. However it wasn’t until Vatican II that the deaconate was restored to it’s proper place in the hierarchy. We find this in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church #29. Pope Paul VI issued *Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem *and the *New Rite for the Ordination of Permanent Deacons.
*
Since the minor orders were eliminated in the Latin Church. The first step in entry into the clerical state is the deaconate. Today deacons serve the Church by administering Baptism, assisting at Marriages, reading the Gospel during liturgies, bringing the gifts to the altar and distributing the Eucharist. They can also offer certain Blessings. Deacons cannot administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick or hear Confessions or celebrate Mass. Deacons per canon law can be married when ordained, but cannot enter Marriage after being ordained. A single man cannot be ordained before the age of 25 and a Married man not before the age of 35 and only with the consent of his wife. According to canon 236 those seeking to be ordained permanent deacons must complete 3 years of formation. The Congregation for Catholic Education issued revised norms for the formation of permanent deacons in 1998. The Congregation for the Clergy issued a Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the same year. In 1988 the US Bishops issued the document Service Ministry of the Deacon. From the 2003 Catholic Almanac there were 27,306 permanent deacons in the world, 13,764 permanent deacons in the US.

Deacon William Ditewig , PhD is the Executive Director of the USCCB Committee on the Deaconate. He offers a very interesting summary of the process and debate that the permanent deaconate went through during the Second Vatican Council in The Deacon Reader pages 36-55
He notes that there were 8,972 proposals received from Bishops prior to the Council on the topic of the deaconate. It seems that it was a very popular topic.

 

[MusicMan]

Thank you Br. Rich. As always, you can be counted on as an excellent resource.

 

[mystified]

We have two deacons. Both are better homilists than the pastor. And they stand still while speaking.

 

[scared]

It seems that something is being forgot.

The deacon is there to assist the priest not take over his duties.

We have few deacons actually only 3 in our diocese the only time they are permitted to delivor the homily is if the priest is too sick or has preformed the more than two allowed masses per day. There is no other exceptions to the rule.

There was a letter sent confirming this. I am in a different country and as I am learning the US seems to be alot more lax on what is allowed.

scared

 

[puzzleannie]

It seems that something is being forgot.

The deacon is there to assist the priest not take over his duties.

There was a letter sent confirming this. I am in a different country and as I am learning the US seems to be alot more lax on what is allowed.

scared

the deacon has his own role and duties, and that goes beyond merely assisting the priest at Mass. It is not a matter of laxity, it is a matter of bishops taking seriously the intent of the Church in restoring the permanent diaconate and allowing and encouraging parishes to take the order seriously and allowing deacons to carry out the fullness of the order to which they are ordained.

we are mourning and burying a beloved deacon this weekend, one of the first ordained in this diocese under its first diaconate formation program over 20 yrs ago. He lived the order fully, his primary ministry being direct service to the poor of the community, which he carried out in such a humble, saintly, competent and Christlike manner that we, and our poor, have just had a staggering loss. He had numerous other parish and diocesan responsibilities, too many to list, and in his humble quiet way was a model of what a deacon, a Catholic husband and father, and a Christian disciple should be. He was literally the pastor’s right hand man, and we are truly bereft. We are blessed with another deacon, who is retired, but still serves with every ounce of energy he has.

Our diocesan diaconate formation program has just been reformed and started again, and the first class in over 10 yrs is beginning formation. Our diocese could not function effectively without our deacons, God bless them.

 

[Deacon2006]

A priest preaches at mass because he first was a deacon.

The faculty to preach is given at the diaconate.

The bishops/rubrics/canon law/ and common sense, for good and valid reasons expects the celebrant priest to be the primary homilist of the community. With that said we must remember it is always an error to suggest that when a deacon gives a homily they are somehow diminishing the the order of presbyters or depriving the community of spiritual welfare.

God Bless

 

[Deacon_Ed]

It seems that something is being forgot.

The deacon is there to assist the priest not take over his duties.

We have few deacons actually only 3 in our diocese the only time they are permitted to delivor the homily is if the priest is too sick or has preformed the more than two allowed masses per day. There is no other exceptions to the rule.

There was a letter sent confirming this. I am in a different country and as I am learning the US seems to be alot more lax on what is allowed.

scared

While it is certainly true that the deacon is to assist the priest, it is also true that he is ordained and granted faculties to preach which he is expected to exercise on a frequent basis.

Since I am bi-ritual (I serve a Latin and a Melkite parish) I preach every other week at the Melkite church and once a month at several Masses in my Latin parish. That is not taking over what belongs to the priest but, rather, exercising the ministry that was given to me by the bishop when he ordained me and gave me my faculties.

Deacon Ed

 

[michleader]

A sincere thankyou to all for their responses regarding the responsibilities of deacons. It is has been an education and I will accept the ruling of the Church in this regard. Again, many thanks for responding.

 

[Deacon2006]

I preach every other week at the Melkite church and once a month at several Masses in my Latin parish. That is not taking over what belongs to the priest but, rather, exercising the ministry that was given to me by the bishop when he ordained me and gave me my faculties.

Deacon Ed

I preach about once a month at the Sunday Masses as well as other liturgies such as baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc.

God Bless

 

[puzzleannie]

just returned from funeral of a beloved deacon of our diocese, graduate of the first diaconate formation program 22 yrs ago. there were at least 20 of his brother deacons there as pall bearers and assisting at Mass, and 1 msgr. & 4 priests with whom he had served. for once the homily and the description of his saintly life dovetailed, and there could not be a better example of what exactly the diaconate is meant to be, deacons, esp. you members here, you have an advocate in heaven, of that I am sure. Saintly is a word I would apply to maybe half a dozen people I have known in my life, but as husband, father, deacon, Catholic man, yes he was saintly. The hole he leaves in his parish and diocese, and his ministry, can scarcely be comprehended.