Why must deacons be married?

[Maccabees]

The rule was relaxed very recently. So yeah you most likely would have sworn by the old rules. I beleive the National Catholic Reporter has some info on this.

There is no formal appeal necessary just paperwork if you have kids or work in a busy parish you supposedly can get a dispensation fairly easily.

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

The rules in a diocese depend on the local ordinary-the bishop. All clergy serve in obedience to him. I can’t see our bishop allowing this. In his wisdom, he has picked a lot of older men. Maybe he seen this coming. Also, everyone will tell you that they have a busy parish, even the rural parishes. There have been no remarriages in our diocese. There has been one deacon allowed to become a priest after his wife died and a couple of others who lost their wives, but were refused elevation to the priesthood.

May God bless you,
Deacon Tony

 

[Detroit_Sue]

Deacon Tony560:

The rules in a diocese depend on the local ordinary-the bishop. All clergy serve in obedience to him. I can’t see our bishop allowing this. In his wisdom, he has picked a lot of older men. Maybe he seen this coming. Also, everyone will tell you that they have a busy parish, even the rural parishes. There have been no remarriages in our diocese. There has been one deacon allowed to become a priest after his wife died and a couple of others who lost their wives, but were refused elevation to the priesthood.

May God bless you,
Deacon Tony

One of the deacons ordained a couple of years before my husband was widowed an accepted into priestly formation, too. I’d like to see more men called to that.

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

It would be a blessing if more were called this way. The bishop relies on his own prayers for discernment when he considers whether to ask a widowed deacon to be elevated to priesthood. There is a great story of a man who had two sons that were priests and after he was widowed he became a priest in his old age. I don’t think that he was a deacon, however.

 

[Franze]

Deacon Tony560:

Good question. Europe is way behind the United States in their thinking about deacons. Vac. 2 revived the ancient order of deacons. Read the Acts of the Apostles and about St. Stephen. For centuries, deacons were only transitional, that is, this was a step to the priesthood. Since Vat 2 the permanent diaconate has been revived. After much study and formation, men (Most of them married) are Ordained to the Permanent Diaconate. Their job is to serve as the deacons in the early church served the poor. Deacons go where the church is not: prisons, homeless shelters, hospitals,Etc. The deacon also serves in his parish. The deacon can help the priest with many duties. The deacon can baptise, witness the simple marrige ceremony, conduct wake and grave side services. The deacon can preach at Mass. The deacon does not say Mass, hear confessions, or annoint the sick. Some parishes have deacon administraters. The return of the diaconate was not to address the priest shortage, but in some cases it is being used this way. Hope this helps you.

God bless,
Deacon Tony

Thank for the answer. greetings