I wrote this article for the local Knights of Columbus Council.
What is a Deacon?
Long before there were priests, there were deacons. In the Acts of the Apostles chapter 6, it is written, “At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The Apostles chose seven men of good character, and ordained these men as deacons, to minister to the needs of the poor and vulnerable.
The Order of Presbyters, or priests, came later in Church history. As the Church evolved, the role of the presbyter increased and the role of the permanent deacon decreased and the order of the Permanent Deacon evolved into what is now called the transitional deacon (someone on the way to becoming a priest).
The Order of the Permanent Deacon was reborn in the Nazi concentration camp of Aushwitz. The imprisoned priests, like the early apostles, were overwhelmed by the needs of all in the camp and could not begin to minister to their desperate campmates. This was remembered at Vatican II and the Order of the Permanent Deacon was reinstated in the Latin Catholic Church.
Holy Orders consists of 3 levels of orders to which men are ordained: the first order is the diaconate, the second order is the presbyterate, and the third order is the episcopate. A priest is first ordained deacon prior to being ordained a priest. A bishop, is first ordained a deacon, then ordained a priest, before being ordained a bishop. When a man is ordained to the Permanent Diaconate, he chooses to remain a deacon for life. A deacon can be married as long as he is married prior to ordination. A priest (with a few exceptions) and a bishop must remain celibate. TRIVIA: a deacon can receive all 7 sacraments, while a priest or bishop can only receive 6 sacraments.
The best way to describe a deacon is “Christ as Servant.” While people usually see the deacon only in his liturgical role at Mass, the real work of the deacon is behind the scenes. You will find deacons ministering in hospitals, nursing homes, on the streets with the homeless, doing sacramental preparation in the parish, Habitat for Humanity, to name just a few ministries. Most deacons work other jobs along with their ministry in the Church.
What sacraments can deacons do? The deacon is given the faculty to proclaim the Gospel and preach at Mass. The deacon is an ordinary minister of baptism and holy communion. The deacon presides at marriages. The deacon presides at wakes, funerals and burials. The deacon ministers to the sick and the dying, however, the faculty to anoint the sick is limited to priests and bishops. Not unlike many bartenders, the deacon hears lots of confessions, but cannot absolve someone of their sins. In the absence of a pastor, the bishop can give permission to a deacon to administer a parish. The deacon is given the faculty to bless people and sacred objects.
At this point in history, there are not enough newly ordained priests to take the place of those priests who are dying or are retiring because of age and illness. There is an increasing need for more and more permanent deacons to assist the overwhelming work load many priests are experiencing these days.
