The deacon is an ordained minister in the Catholic Church. Ordination implies a permanent commitment, a stable role in the Church and sacramental grace. There are several important words in this description of a deacon.
The first is the word “is”. When we speak of a deacon the focus is not on what he can or can not do but on who or what he is. We will come back to this point shortly.
The next word is “ordained”. Ordination implies being given a special responsibility in the community. In the Catholic tradition this has included a share in the responsibility of leadership in the faith community. It also implies grace and authority that is handed down from one generation to the next through prayer and the sacramental laying on of hands.
The description speaks of a “permanent commitment”. At least in the Catholic tradition, ordination is understood to bring about a fundamental change in a person; the fancy theological term for this is an “ontological” change. In the priest this change relates to receiving the capacity to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice. The theology of the diaconate is still in its early stages, since it has been on the theological radar only since its restoration at the Second Vatican Council. However, this “ontological” change is seen by some as related to the deacon’s ministry, particularly the ministry of service. When you speak of such a basic ontological change, you are speaking of a permanent change.
The diaconate is found in many Christian denominations in one form or another. Often it is an office held for a period of time and then assigned to another person. The Catholic tradition sees diaconal ordinaiton as permanent; therefore it is a commitment to ministry that endures throughout one’s life following ordination. In this sense of a permanent commitment, ordination is similar to marriage.
The “stable role in the Church” phrase refers to the diaconate as an enduring part of the church structure. It is not some experiment in ministry but has been a part of the church structure from the earliest years of the church. Further, its basic dimensions of ministry of the Word, Worship and Service have been in place since the beginning as well, even if exactly how they play out in a particular community may change over time and from one culture to another. The restored permanent diaconate may feel new and experimental at times but that is due primarily to the attempt by the church to find the best use of the diaconate in the 21st century after many centuries of neglect.
It is important to remember that we are speaking of the diaconate in the Catholic Church. As noted earlier, some of the assumptions we make about the diaconate in this series are appropriate only to the experience of the Catholic Church, as the diaconate may have taken a different direction in other churches and denominations.
While we are speaking of the Catholic Church, it is helpful to remember that part of the role of the deacon is to be a public agent of the church; to represent the Church in the lives of the faithful. When I visit a sick person or shut-in bringing First Friday Communion, it isn’t just good-old Richard Shewman stopping by with Communion. It is the Catholic Church ministering to the spiritual need of the person being visited through the ministry of Deacon Richard Shewman.
