Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli

In June of 1967, Pope Paul VI issued the Apostolic letter, Diaconatus Ordinem, re-establishing the permanent diaconate in the Latin Church. From her very beginnings, the Church has had the blessing of the ministry of deacons. Even before Luke writes in the Acts of the Apostles about the first deacons and their work, Paul is already mentioning deacons in his writings. In his letter to the Philippians (c. 54 A. D.), he addresses “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.”

In Acts 6:1-6, Luke presents deacons as the Church’s answer to meet the charitable needs that arose in the Jerusalem community. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles chose seven worthy men to take care of the distribution of food to the needy among those who spoke Greek. But it is quite clear that, from the beginning, deacons did not limit their ministry to the works of charity. The deacon Stephen, the Church’s first martyr, was stoned to death because of his courageous preaching (Acts 6:8-15, 7:54-60). And, the deacon Philip both preached and baptized (Acts 8:4-8).

For the first thousand years of the Church’s life, deacons served as major assistants to the bishop. They were responsible for many of the functions that today belong to the vicar general and the chief financial officer of a diocese. In fact, so prominent were deacons in the life of the Church, that many of them were elected pope. Between the years 432 and 684 A.D., of the 37 men elected pope, only three were not deacons at the time.

Before the restoration of the diaconate by Pope Paul VI, only those who would later be ordained priests were ordained deacons. The diaconate was merely seen as a transitional step to the priesthood. But, today, the diaconate is recognized as a permanent order within the Church. Men who are to be priests are ordained to the transitional diaconate. Others, not excluding married men, are ordained to the permanent diaconate.

On Oct. 26, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI issued the Motu Proprio “Omnium in Mentem.” In this brief document, he brought clarity to the roles of bishop, priest and deacon. All are ordained clergy, but with a difference. The bishop and priest are ordained to act “in persona Christi.” In other words, by virtue of their distinct order, they participate in the headship of Christ. Priests, like bishops, can celebrate all the sacraments except Holy Orders. Only a bishop can ordain men to the priesthood and diaconate. Deacons, on the other hand, serve the Church as an image of Christ the servant. They are ordained to serve the People of God in the ministries of the liturgy, the Word and charity.

The diaconate is not simply a step along the path to becoming a priest. It is a unique ministry in itself. Deacons embody the image of Christ the servant. They themselves are a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served.” As men working in the world, deacons are a vital connection between the sanctuary and the street. Their lives and work become a powerful means for the Church to be truly the leaven in the world, transforming it with the grace of the gospel.

Whether proclaiming the gospel at Mass, or working in a food pantry for the poor, or visiting prisons, hospitals or schools, deacons connect the Church’s word of love with her works of love. How appropriate, therefore, that the deacon has the last word at Mass. He says, “Go, the Mass is ended.” These words translate the Latin formula “Ite, missa est.” As Pope Benedict XVI once noted, these words are more than a mere dismissal. These words, through usage, have come to imply mission. In other words, the deacon is not simply saying “Go, there is a dismissal,” but he is also saying “Go, you have a mission.” Uttered by the deacon, these final words of Mass, like the deacon himself, reminds us of the missionary nature of the Church. Liturgy is linked to life.