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Guidelines
for the Permanent Diaconate
in the Catholic Church in Australia
1. These Guidelines should be read in the
light of the Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent
Deacons, promulgated by the Congregation for the Clergy, 22
February 1998.
Diaconate in the Church
2. The diaconate fulfils a key role in the
ministry of the Church and is an essential part of its structure.
The ministry of deacons is one of liturgy, word and charity. In this
they are ordained to assist the bishop and his body of priests.
However they are also to be at the service of all, embodying Christ
who came to serve and not to be served.
3. The order of deacons is a distinct and
permanent grade in the Church’s hierarchy. Through ordination
deacons enter into the threefold ministry of worship and service,
ministering in communion with the bishop and his presbyterium. The
pre-eminent expression of the Church is that Sunday Eucharist
celebrated by the bishop, surrounded by his presbyters, deacons and
lay ministers, and in which the faithful present participate fully
and actively (General Instruction on the Roman Missal, §112).
4. The Second Vatican Council, when decreeing
that the diaconate be restored as a proper and permanent rank of the
clergy in the Latin Church, stated that it pertained to the office
of deacon to administer baptism, to be the custodian and distributor
of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of
the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred
Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to
preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer
sacramentals, and to officiate at funeral and burial services (Lumen
gentium, 29).
5. A local Church without deacons is not only
missing an important ministry of Christ-like service, but lacks
something integral to its very nature.
The Deacon in
the Liturgy
6. Since the Second Vatican Council the Roman
Rite has given greater attention to the role of deacons in worship.
The Third Edition of the General Instruction (2002) reflects
this by acknowledging the deacon more
frequently in the various lists of ministers. Deacons have their own
proper functions at Mass: proclaiming the Gospel, preaching,
announcing the intercessions, assisting the priest at the altar,
distributing Communion, and in particular under the species of wine,
and giving directions (GIRM §94, 171). When it comes to
making choices and preparing the liturgy, they fall under the same
criteria outlined for the priest (§352). The Instruction
contains a separate section which describes how Mass is to be
celebrated when a deacon is present (§171-186).
7. Deacons, as members of the rank of the
ordained, are seated alongside the presiding celebrant in the
sanctuary (§310). It is in the sanctuary that they exercise their
ministry (§295). They are assigned the stole and dalmatic as
vestments proper to the order (§338). The question of whether
deacons should exercise their ministry within a celebration does not
belong to the presiding celebrant: When a deacon is present at
the Eucharistic celebration, while wearing sacred vestments, he
should exercise his ministry (§171). When more than one deacon
is present they may distribute among themselves the various parts
that belong to their ministry (§109, 179).
8. In their liturgical
ministry, deacons proclaim the Gospel and direct the Church’s
prayer. As the primary assistants of bishops, deacons are called, as
a consequence of ordination, in a special way to lead Sunday
assemblies of the faithful in the absence of a priest (Motu
proprio Ad Pascendum, Paul VI, 15 August 1972). Since deacons
are ordained for the nurture and increase of the people of God, it
belongs to them to lead the prayers, to proclaim the Gospel, to
preach the homily, and to distribute Communion (Directory for
Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest, Congregation for
Divine Worship, 2 June 1998).
9. Their duties also include: to preside over
public prayer, to baptise, to assist at marriages and bless them, to
give Viaticum to the dying, and to lead funeral rites.
10. Deacons are required to celebrate daily
at least a part of the Liturgy of the Hours, as set out by the
Conference of Bishops. The Australian
Catholic Bishops Conference has determined this to consist of
Morning and Evening Prayer (ACBC 1970, 1985).
Deacons are obliged to pray
for the universal Church. Where appropriate, they should lead these
prayers with the community to whom they have been assigned to
minister.
The Deacon in
Canon Law
Office of Deacon
11. Canon law determines that an ecclesiastical
office is any post constituted in a stable manner by divine or
ecclesiastical law to be exercised for a spiritual purpose (can.
145).
12. Through the sacrament of orders, a man is
marked with an indelible character and thus constituted a sacred
minister, so that according to the grade of deacon or priest or
bishop he will fulfil, in the person of Christ, the sacred functions
of teaching, sanctifying and governing in the Church (can. 1008).
However,
these sacred functions are normally exercised within an
office to which the ordained has been assigned. Just as a bishop
normally exercises his sacred functions in an office assigned to him
(e.g. bishop of a diocese or auxiliary bishop), and a priest does
likewise (e.g. parish priest or chaplain), a deacon normally
exercises his sacred functions in an office or offices to which he
is appointed. Such offices are many and varied, whether on the level
of parish (e.g. assistant to a parish priest or being entrusted with
a share in the pastoral care of a parish lacking a resident priest)
or the level of diocese (e.g. as chancellor, tribunal judge or head
of a diocesan agency) or serving the wider Church (e.g. military
chaplain, or episcopal conference assignment).
Place within the Clergy
13. Entrance into the clerical state and
incardination into a diocese are brought about by ordination to the
diaconate (can. 266). Because deacons are clerics, not laymen, the
canon law specifying rights and obligations of clerics applies
equally to priests and deacons.
14. Permanent deacons
may accept a job transfer or promotion in
their secular employment to places outside their diocese of
incardination. The procedures for excardination and incardination
are the same as those for priests, as are the procedures for those
who receive permission to work in another diocese for a specified
time. A deacon moving from one diocese to another, even for a short
time, would ordinarily be admitted by the bishop to diaconal
ministry in the new diocese (cann. 267-272). While a deacon can be
admitted by the local parish priest to minister after the manner of
a visiting or supply priest, any appointment to stable ministry
within a diocese will always be made by the diocesan bishop (can.
157).
Faculties
15. A faculty is a favour or authorisation
extended to a cleric permitting him to exercise certain powers in
addition to those received by ordination. A bishop may grant a
deacon some faculties which authorise him to perform actions in the
Church in addition to those conceded to him by diaconal ordination.
These faculties are granted at the discretion of the bishop in
accordance with the needs of the diocese. Faculties frequently
granted to deacons include: to assist at marriages (cann. 1108,
1111), and to grant certain permissions and dispensations in
connection with ecclesiastical laws. A bishop can withdraw the
faculties he grants. However, the withdrawal of faculties leaves
intact the sacramental powers the deacon received from God at his
ordination. The only one of these powers that the bishop is
authorised to restrict is the power to preach (can. 764).
Rights and Obligations
16. In general, deacons, since they are clerics,
are bound by the same obligations and enjoy the same rights as
priests. By exception, permanent deacons are able to be chosen from
married men, are not obliged to wear
clerical dress, and are exempted from the prohibitions to clerics to
assume public office, undertake the management of goods of
the laity, practise commerce or
trade, or have active roles in political parties and trade unions
(can. 288).
17. Clerical obligations include an active seeking
of holiness (with the obligation of the Liturgy of the Hours),
continuing studies, making an annual retreat, fulfilling assigned
offices, and respecting the Pope and the bishop.
Preparing the Ecclesial
Community
for the Diaconate
18. When, after due consultation, a bishop decides
to introduce the Permanent Diaconate into a diocese, it is strongly
recommended that time and resources be devoted to preparing the
diocesan community. Some explanation of the diaconate itself, and
the reasons for its introduction into the diocese, should be given
to the faithful, for example through diocesan and parish
newsletters, through other specially prepared material or through
information sessions.
Education in the nature and purpose of the diaconate should be
considered as part of the ongoing pastoral formation of the diocese.
19. Special effort should be made to familiarise
the priests of the diocese about the role of deacons in the Church
and the various ministries that deacons are likely to fulfil in the
particular diocese.
Candidacy and Formation for
Diaconate
20. This section of the Guidelines should
be read in the light of the Basic Norms for the Formation of the
Permanent Diaconate, promulgated by the Congregation for
Catholic Education, 22 February 1998.
Initial Steps
21. It is the responsibility of the diocesan
bishop to discern a vocation to the diaconate.
22. To be a suitable candidate for ordination to
the diaconate, a person must be a Catholic man of sound moral
character and mature faith who has shown a sense of vocation to
service.
23. He must demonstrate prayerfulness and an
openness to further spiritual formation.
24. He should be at least thirty years of age (cf.
can. 1031 §2) and should be involved already in parish or other
apostolic life. He should not normally be older than the commonly
accepted retirement age.
25. He should have the ability to complete
undergraduate studies and be able to make time for formation without
detriment to his family and work commitments.
26. He must have adequate physical and mental
health.
27. If married, he must have the active support of
his wife (and family). If not married, or if widowed in the future,
he must be willing to accept a lifelong commitment to celibacy.
28. He must have the support of his parish priest
or other equivalent church leaders.
29. A bishop or his delegate will interview an
applicant and obtain appropriate documents, certificates and
references. An applicant’s wife should also be interviewed.
30. The applicant will
be provided with written information about the formation process
including the time involved, the role of deacons within the diocese,
and expectations during formation and after ordination as a deacon.
Formation
31. An applicant for ordained ministry will
receive formation in four areas: theological, personal, spiritual
and ministerial. The bishop will appoint an experienced, competent
director of formation to oversee this program.
32. It may be
appropriate for several bishops in neighbouring dioceses to
establish a single formation program, with one director, for
applicants in their dioceses.
33. An applicant should obtain a degree in
theology from an approved institution, either by residential study
or distance education.
34. In addition, an applicant will participate in
a formation program organised or supported within his diocese. This
will normally consist of part of one weekend every month and will
normally take four years. The program will address issues of
personal growth, encourage a deeper spiritual life including
spiritual direction, and seek to equip an applicant with the
ministerial skills needed in the diaconate, in the areas of pastoral
care, preaching and leading various forms of public worship. The
program should assist a candidate to understand the life of the
diocese, and to take his place in it. A significant component of the
program will be a supervised
pastoral placement.
35. An applicant’s wife will be encouraged to
participate in at least some aspects of this formation program. Some
additional sessions should be conducted specifically for the wives
(and family members) of applicants.
36. At an appropriate time during the formation
program, and with the consent his wife and those who have overseen
the formation program, an applicant would formally petition the
bishop to be accepted as a candidate for ordination to the
diaconate. It would be expected that, at definite stages throughout
a formation program, an applicant would be formally instituted by
the bishop in the ministries of lector and acolyte. A candidate
would make a five-day retreat before ordination.
Funding
37. The costs and funding of a formation program
may vary from diocese to diocese. Such arrangements should be
explained and agreed upon before applicants are accepted into the
program.
Ongoing Formation of Deacons
38. Along with other members of the clergy, a
deacon accepts a life-long commitment to ongoing formation in the
theological, personal, spiritual and ministerial aspects of his
life. As far as possible, he will attend conferences, seminars and
retreats conducted for the deacons of his diocese (can. 279). He
will be encouraged to participate in pastoral discussions with
priests and laity. He will be encouraged to participate in programs
and associations designed specifically for the support of deacons.
It will often be fruitful for appropriate programs to be offered to
deacons’ wives (and families).
The Placement of Deacons
and Possible Models for Diaconal Ministry
39. The appointment of a deacon to an office will
be made by his ordinary in writing (can. 51) and will define the
terms, scope and hours of ministry of this office. Where
appropriate, the letter of appointment will also specify the cleric
to whom the deacon is primarily accountable.
40. Canon 281 envisions three patterns of diaconal
ministry:
· deacons
who dedicate themselves “fully” to ecclesiastical ministry
· deacons
who work primarily in a secular trade or profession
· deacons
who are retired from a secular trade or profession.
41. These patterns of sacramental ministry may be
implemented in a number of ways:
The Deacon in Full-Time Ecclesial Ministry
42. Some deacons are appointed to full-time
ministry positions within Church agencies or parishes by their
bishops. These appointments include, for example, general parish
ministry, military chaplains, hospital pastoral care coordinators,
and canon lawyers.
43. Deacons appointed to positions where they
are to dedicate themselves fully to ministry are to be equitably
remunerated and provided with superannuation in accordance with
civil and canon law.
The Deacon in Part-Time Ecclesial Ministry
44. Deacons who dedicate themselves to
significant stable part-time ministry will be treated in a similar
manner to full-time ecclesial ministers on a pro rata basis. They
will enjoy equivalent benefits and responsibilities to a lay person
employed in a similar capacity.
The Deacon as Sacrament in Secular Society
45. In some cases, deacons will minister primarily
“in the world” and would normally have a limited ministerial
involvement within the structures of the Church. The main thrust of
these deacons’ ministry is to be a sacramental expression of Christ
outside the sanctuary, outside the church building and the ecclesial
structures. Through their service of those in the “world” these
deacons are a sacramental expression of the diaconal nature of the
Church. These deacons will help identify those in need in society,
and bring word of them to the Eucharistic community, especially in
the liturgy (including the Prayers of the Faithful and the deacon’s
preaching). They also serve as a prophetic reminder to all the
baptised of their own responsibility to care for others.
46. Since these deacons would generally minister
within the context of their work place and the social network in
which they find themselves, they would have very limited time
available to dedicate to traditional clerical ministry. These
deacons’ involvement in parishes or agencies of the local Church
should not exceed six hours per week. Any greater participation in
Church-based ministry could place serious pressures upon the
deacon’s health, employment and marriage.
47. Particular law will provide clear norms
for providing a ministry allowance and for reimbursing expenses, so
that those parishes and agencies who benefit from the deacon’s
ministry fulfil their obligation to reimburse him for expenses
incurred in the exercise of that ministry.
The Deacon who has Retired from a Trade or Profession
48. Some men who have retired from secular
employment before the commonly accepted retirement age in Australia
desire to dedicate themselves on either a full-time or part-time
basis to pastoral ministry.
49. This situation
requires careful discernment. The diaconate is a call to serve God's
people and not a recognition of a reward for faithful service. It is
to be seen as a vocation not a kind of “retirement hobby”.
50. It is envisaged that older deacons in early
retirement with superannuation annuities from their employment would
provide for themselves and their families from that income.
Possible Ministry Placements
51. A deacon’s ministry has a focus on being
brother to those people who live at the “edge” in either a
spiritual, social or economic sense.
52. To strengthen the
diaconal character of the diocesan Church, care is to be taken to
include, as much as possible, a diaconal presence within diocesan
structures, as well as parish communities.
53. Against this backdrop, some possible ministry
placements for deacons include:
(i)
Deacons as Pastoral Workers:
Increasingly, dioceses, agencies, parishes, hospitals, and prisons
are advertising positions for pastoral workers (e.g. pastoral
associates, RCIA coordinators, liturgy coordinators, sacramental
program coordinators, social workers, youth workers, teachers,
journalists, managers, strategic planners, finance officers). Many
deacons have qualifications and considerable secular experience in
these areas, as well as theological and pastoral training that make
them ideal candidates for these positions
(ii)
Chaplaincies:
particularly prison, hospital, police, military, school and
workplace - places where the deacon is likely to meet people who are
marginalised from Church or society in one way or another
(iii)
Church agencies:
particularly those with an evangelistic (youth/young adult ministry)
or welfare (Centacare, Caritas) orientation, or those
that form the laity for mission (Catholic Mission)
(iv)
Parish Ministries:
These may include those parish ministries that generally have a
large component of reaching out to the unchurched, such as baptisms,
marriages and funerals. For example, a deacon might be the “marriage
minister” who is involved with everything from marriage preparation
through to presiding at the liturgical celebration
(v)
Parish Pastoral Leadership:
Because of a shortage of priests, deacons can be appointed to a
share in the exercise of the pastoral care of a parish (can. 517
§2), although pastoral leadership within parishes is always
exercised by some priest with the powers and faculties of a parish
priest, who will direct the pastoral care
(vi)
Diocesan Ministries:
A deacon with substantial experience in other ministries could
assist in central administration,
such as diocesan chancellor, bishop’s secretary or in the diocesan
Tribunal
(vii) Diocesan
pastoral works in specific social contexts:
These could include the pastoral care of families, of ethnic
minorities, or of disabled, sick or elderly people.
54. With the permission of his bishop, a deacon is
free to apply for such positions and to be considered equally with
other applicants (other clergy, religious and lay people).
Concluding Note
55. These Guidelines were approved by the
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference at their meeting of November
2005, and will be reviewed after a period of five years.
56. For more information about the Permanent
Diaconate in the Catholic Church in Australia, visit
www.ausdeacon.org
