‍

A candidate for the Permanent Diaconate, whether married or not, may be admitted to the diaconate only when he has completed his 35th year of age. He will usually be under 65 years of age at the time of ordination, although the Bishop may exercise his own discretion in terms of age.

‍

Within parish life, the special and beautiful role that our parish priests fulfil for God and His people is, in general, well understood, but you might be surprised to learn that parish priests can be supported in our church communities by deacons.

The ministry of deacon is often seen as the first formal step for seminarians on the vocational path to priesthood. Those who have answered God’s call to shepherd His flock as a priest will spend about a year in a parish as a deacon, immersing themselves in the fullness of parish life – these men are called “transitional deacons” as at some point, they will be ordained and transition from deacon to priest.

In contrast to the transitional deacon, one of the vocational calls to the clergy – which is also mentioned in the earliest history of the Catholic Church - is the “permanent deacon”. In the early Church, the men called to the permanent diaconate would “minister to the widows” and orphans, ensuring that those in need, and on the edges of the Christian community, received pastoral care – freeing the Apostles to spend more time in prayer and preaching (Acts 6:1-7).

The vocation of the permanent deacon was restored at the time of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) by Pope Saint Paul VI. Permanent deacons are formed at seminary over four years, with their formation often incorporating an element of distance learning. At the end of their formation, they will be ordained as a deacon and given an appointment by the Bishop, but they will not be subsequently ordained as a priest.  

Permanent deacons are called to a two-fold service of word and charity, a ministry exercised in varying forms, often involved in catechesis and – just like their forebears in the early Church – exercising the ministry of charity in its many forms. You may find a permanent deacon supporting the parish priest in the celebration of the liturgy, proclaiming the Gospel, and preaching, taking the Eucharist or spiritual nourishment to the sick and the housebound, celebrating the sacrament of baptism, officiating at funerals, or officiating at marriages outside of the Mass.

Permanent deacons are not supported financially by the Church and are usually working or retired men. Some will continue in the same career they were following prior to their ordination; others might feel called to serve as chaplains to schools, hospitals, universities, or prisons.  

‍

If you would like to find out more about the Permanent Diaconate, click on the button below. To explore a possible call to the Lord’s service as a deacon in our Diocese, please contact Tim Murrell; E: tim.murrill@abdiocese.org.uk.