From the very beginning of the Church, men were
called and set aside to serve the Church and the People of God in the
ministry of charity. As the early Church grew and developed, it became
readily apparent that the Apostles needed help in the administration of the
Church especially in the ministry of service. Acts: 6:1-7 details the
biblical institution of the diaconate as a ministry of charity and service."
When the number of disciples were multiplying, there arose a complaint
against the Hebrews by the Greek speaking Jews saying their widows were
neglected in the daily distribution of food. The twelve summoned the
multitude of the disciples and said. It is not right that we should leave
the Word of God to serve tables. Therefore seek out from among you seven men
of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint
to this service." This saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose
seven men, whom they brought before the apostles. When the apostles had
prayed over them, they laid hands on them, ordaining them to the ministry of
service "diakonia". From this beginning men have served the Church as
Deacons for over two thousand years.
From the beginning, the Diaconate flourished
throughout the Church as a ministry of Charity and Service assisting the
Bishop of their Diocese in ministering to the secular as well as religious
needs and concerns of the People of God. By the end of the fourth century
however, the Diaconate as a distinctive ordained institution began to
decline as many men who were deacons became priest. This led to the
development of the "transitional deacon", which ultimately lead to
ordination as a priest. The practice of transitional deacons continued and
became so widespread that by the early middle ages, the diaconate as a
permanent institution literally ceased to exist. Although the Council of
Trent (1545-1563) directed the restoration of the diaconate, it was never
implemented.
Recognizing however, the service component of
the diaconate and it's particular imaging of Christ in the Church and the
world, the Second Vatican Council moved to restore the diaconate as a
distinctive and permanent component of the sacrament of Holy Orders. This
process was begun by the Second Vatican Council in its Constitution on the
Church (Lumen Gentium) promulgating by Pope Paul VI in 1964. The Council
Fathers spoke of the need for the diaconate in the future to be "restored as
a proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy". The Holy Father implemented
this decree in 1967 by publication of the General Norms for Restoring the
Permanent Diaconate in the Latin Church. The Pope stressed the permanent
diaconate "is not be considered as a mere step towards the priesthood, but
it is so adorned with its own indelible character and its own special grace.
Strengthened by sacramental grace, Deacons serve the People of God in the
diaconia of liturgy, word, and charity, in communion with the bishops and
his presbytery".
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops in
the United States approved the restoration of the diaconate for this country
in 1968, and requested permission for this restoration from the Holy See
"both to complete the hierarchy of sacred orders and to enrich and
strengthen the various diaconal ministries at work in the United States with
the sacramental grace of the diaconate." The request was approved the same
year, marking the beginning of a ministry that has flourished in a powerful
way. Today there are over 15,000 permanent deacons in the United States
alone. Of this number, approximately 425 or roughly 2.5% are African
American.
Today Permanent Deacons serve the Church in
Parish ministry, prison ministry, social justice services, hospital and sick
care ministry, administrative positions, as well as teaching , preaching,
and retreat ministries. Deacons who are employed in the various careers of
life, also minister in a special way by their presence in the work place. By
their presence they bring Christ and the Church into the everyday lived
experience of their co workers and associates.
Today the Church still calls men of good
reputation, full of the Holy Spirit, and Wisdom to serve the Church in
today's world. The need for men to come forward is as needed now as it was
in the days of the early Church. The need for men of good reputation, full
of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to serve the Church in the African American
community is especially great. Given the many areas of concern and social
injustice we see in the African American community and family, the ministry
of deacons could be a powerful force assisting and promoting the reign of
God in our communities, our churches and our world.
While the scriptures outline the first and basic
requirements for service as a permanent deacon, each Diocese in the United
States follows the General Norms for Restoring the Diaconate in the Latin
Church promulgated by Paul Vl. Any person contemplating the Permanent
Diaconate might well consider these basic guidelines and requirements as
well as their implications.
1. The first requirement under these
guidelines is age. A candidate for ordination must have reached the age of
thirty five by the time of ordination.
2. Stable marriages and a sound family
life are of major importance for married candidates. Candidates who are
married should have received the sacrament of matrimony, or have their
marriage blessed or approved by the Church. If a candidate has been in a
prior marriage, and is considering applying to a diaconate program, he
should contact his Pastor and discuss the particulars of his situation. If
needed the pastor will direct the applicant to, or contact the appropriate
Diocesan Marriage Tribunal, which under the norms of canon law is approved
to rule on the validity and status of marriages in the Church. Because each
case will be different, it is impossible to give one answer for the many
possible marriage irregularities. However, it is safe to say that it is the
Marriage Tribunal's responsibility to determine after investigation and due
process if a prior marriage is still valid or not and what is the status of
a person's current marriage in terms of the Church.
If a deacon candidate is divorced, he would
apply for the same resolution to the divorce as any divorced catholic, that
is if appropriate, seek an annulment.
An annulment is a determination by the Church that a
valid marriage never existed in the former marriage due to a consensual or
detrimental reason. For example at the time of marriage if one of the parties
did not give consent freely, the marriage is invalid, or if there were
detrimental factors such as marrying under duress or for the wrong reason such
as to obtain personal or financial gain, there would be no valid marriage. If
either of the parties entering into marriage on the wedding day had any ulterior
motive other than entering freely into a lifetime commitment, the marriage would
be invalid and could be annulled on those grounds.
More commonly, many divorced Catholics seeking to remarry a second time or
say for a divorced catholic man seeking admission to a diaconate program may
find resolution under the Defective Form canon of the Church regarding
marriage.
Defective Form occurs when a Catholic marries
outside the Church such as before a Justice of the Peace or a Protestant
Minister. Defective Form also deals with the sacramental invalidity of
marriage between a baptized Catholic and a non Catholic, as well as marriage
between a baptized Catholic and non Christian. If two Catholics got married
in Las Vegas before a Justice of the Peace the marriage would be invalid,
and if a Catholic married a non Catholic, such as a Jewish person or non
Christian person before a minister or Rabbi, the marriage would be invalid,
and if a Catholic married a non Catholic, say a Baptist or Methodist before
a Justice of the Peace or a Protestant minister, the marriage would be
invalid in the Church. Although a legal marriage, such marriages are not
valid sacramental marriages in he eyes of the Church since Catholics are
required to marry before a Priest or Deacon in reception of the sacrament of
Holy Matrimony. When it is established that a divorced Catholic married
under any of these circumstances, the prior marriage falls within the
category of defective form. In this case, the Church issues a Decree of
Freedom to marry and the divorced Catholic may remarry in the Church
receiving the sacrament of Matrimony, or in the case of a deacon applicant,
free to apply for the sacrament of Holy Orders. Again, it is important to
consult with one's pastor to determine the particulars of individual
marriage status when considering the Diaconate Program in your Diocese.
3. If a candidate for the diaconate is
married, he must have the permission and support of his spouse to enter the
program. In some Dioceses wives attend classes with their husbands and
become a "deacon couple" defining and serving in a ministry that is mutually
beneficial to each of them.
4. If a married deacon should loose his
spouse to death after his ordination. He is not free to marry again. Widowed
Permanent Deacons are required to be celibate.
5. If a single man is ordained as a
deacon from the single state, he is not free to marry after ordination.
Single Permanent Deacons are required to be celibate.
6. Additionally and of prime importance,
the candidate for the Diaconate must exhibit a commitment to Christ. He must
have demonstrated by his lifestyle and manner of living, a desire to serve
in the ministry of charity. There should be clear evidence of this desire
reflected in his living and serving in the community over the years.
7. Finally, the deacon candidate must be
called by his community as reflected in the recommendation of the Pastor and
the support of the people. Just as in the early church the community itself
played a major role in the selection of deacons, so today the pastor's and
people's support and approval is essential.
In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus observes that the
harvest is great, and the laborers are few, "pray ye the Lord of the harvest
that he send laborers into His vineyard". The harvest is particularly great
in the African American community throughout the United States. Today the
Church in the name of the Risen Lord, calls ordinary men like you and me to
serve in the vineyard of the Lord through the ministry of charity and
service. Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Through
prayer, consider the many ways your gifts and talents could be used to build
the kingdom of God in our community, and in the Church universal.
If you are a man of good reputation, filled with
the Spirit and appropriately mature, perhaps God is calling you to "diakonia"
to service.
How can you know? How can you find out? Step
One, you should pray. Secondly, if you are married, talk to your wife. If
you are a single man, talk with your family. Thirdly, make an appointment
and talk with your pastor. This is called the discerning process. Through
prayer and consultation God will reveal His will for you in this and all
matters. Through this process you will come to know the truth, and as the
Word says, the truth shall set you free. Additionally, you can receive
detailed information regarding the Permanent Diaconate by calling or writing
the Office of the Permanent Diaconate in your local Diocese. After prayer
and discernment, may your response be that of Isaiah the prophet, "Here I am
Lord, send me, I will go".
Deacon Marvin Threatt, Ph.D., is a Permanent
Deacon of the Diocese of San Diego, California. Ordained in 1983, Deacon
Threatt teaches Ethics and Social Justice at Marian Catholic High School,
and is Pastoral Associate at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, both in San Diego,
Ca. He is also the current President of the National Association of African
American Catholic Deacons. Deacon Threatt is married and the father of two
children.
