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Bishop Richard, members of clergy, deacons and their families marked the 50th anniversary of the permanent diaconate in our Diocese earlier this month, with a special Mass and celebration held at Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-5) restored the permanent diaconate as a ministry, allowing the ordination of married men. The Diocese of Leeds ordained three men to the renewed permanent diaconate in 1971 (the first in England & Wales), with Eric Kilminster, the first permanent deacon in our Diocese, ordained by Bishop Michael Bowen on 11 August 1974.

From these small seeds the diaconate has grown apace; in 1981, under Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the diaconate formation programme expanded with three deacons ordained in 1984. In 1990, at the diocesan Silver Jubilee, there were ten deacons. Later, at the 2015 Golden Jubilee, there were four times that number. Today, 50 years after Eric’s ordination, there are more than five times that number with 38 deacons in active ministry, five men in diaconate formation and three due to begin their discernment year this September.

To celebrate this, those that were able joined Bishop Richard on Saturday 10 August, the feast of St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, for a celebratory Mass and lunch at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead. More than 70 people gathered, including deacons, their wives, men in formation, priests and parishioners.

Beginning with the Angelus, the procession included servers from among the wives of deacons and men in formation, concelebrating priests and two deacons: 26-years-ordained Deacon Tom Murray. and Deacon Ben Williams who had been ordained just 25 days previously.

Speaking during the homily, Fr Peter Andrews, the Priest Adviser to Diaconate Formation, reflected on the importance of service within each deacon’s ministry and the significant contribution their wives and families make in support of their ministry. Referring to Bishop Richard’s Pastoral Plan, he also suggested – 50 years after Deacon Eric’s ordination – that diocesan deacons will have an ever-greater role in the work and mission of the Church in Arundel & Brighton.

Mass was followed by lunch and an opportunity for attendees to visit the Shrine’s 16th century “secret chapel” and priest hole, followed by Evening Prayer led by the Diocese’s newest deacon, Simon Tierney.

With thanks to Deacon Mark Woods for sharing this account and Harry Robertson for taking pictures of the celebration.

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