Permanent deacon: 9 facts about this ministerial vocation for married men

The permanent diaconate was rescued by the Second Vatican Council of the Tradition of the Church because, although it was in force for centuries, it fell into disuse in the Middle Ages as a permanent ministry, subsisting as a transitional status towards the priesthood, as the document recalls. The Diaconate: Evolution and perspectivesprepared by the International Theological Commission in 2002.

The Second Vatican Council was the most important ecclesiastical event of the 20th century. Pope Saint John XXIII encouraged him to seek the update, that is, the updating of the Church to bring it closer to today’s world. It began in 1962 and concluded during the pontificate of Pope Saint Paul VI in 1965.

According to the last Report of Activities of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), the Church that pilgrims in Spain has about 600 permanent deacons, that is, married men who have accessed the third degree of the sacrament of Orders.

Below, we answer 9 questions about this ministry that is more present every day.

1. What does the New Testament say about deacons?

In the sixth chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles the institution of the diaconate is described when it is decided to choose seven “men of good reputation, full of spirit and wisdom” for the service of the community, so that the Apostles could dedicate themselves to evangelization. The seven (Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas) were presented to the Apostles who laid hands on them.

In the first letter to Timothy, Saint Paul explains that deacons must be “respectable, without double language, not fond of much wine or given to dirty business; May they keep the mystery of faith with a pure conscience. They must be tested first and, when they are found to be blameless, let them exercise the ministry.”

To this, he adds: “Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own homes well. Because those who carry out the ministry well achieve a good reputation and a lot of confidence regarding the faith that is founded on Christ Jesus.”

2.- Who can be a permanent deacon?

Candidates for the permanent diaconate must be married men, over 35 years of age, with at least 5 years of marriage, who have a reputation for exemplary character in their marital and family life and, above all, who have a spirit of service. Not in vain, the etymology of deacon, both in Greek and Latin, shows that its meaning is “servant.”

Likewise, they must have a stable work and family situation, since they must support themselves by their own means, the result of their work. Lastly, it is important that both his wife and his children participate in this spirit of service.

3. What pastoral activity does a permanent deacon perform?

Priest Juan Carlos Vera, president of the Permanent Diaconate Commission of the Archdiocese of Madrid, explains to ACI Prensa that the three occupations that these men carry out in the Church are “the diakonia of the word, that is, evangelization; the diakonia of the liturgy, which implies sanctification through the sacraments over which he can preside, and the diakonia of charity, which is the most specific.”

Beyond this, Father Vera adds that the deacon “sacramentally represents Christ the servant in the midst of the community and is more about sacramentality than functionality.”

4. How is the vocation to marriage and the permanent diaconate compatible?

Father Juan Carlos Vera points out that, by having a sacrament of marriage, the permanent deacon has “a first fidelity, a first dedication to his wife and children that should not be endangered by his ministerial dedication.”

In fact, he adds, “the obedience promised to the bishop is not against marriage.”

5. What is the formation process for the permanent deacon and his family?

The formation of a permanent deacon usually lasts about five years, depending on the circumstances, and largely involves the wife and children from the first preparatory stage or vocational discernment.

Father Vera explains that “what is verified throughout the formative process is that on the part of the wife and children, there is not only consent regarding the diaconal vocation, but, in some way, there is support , a tune.” In other words, the candidate’s family must have a “diaconal style” in which the vocation to serve is shared.

This is important because the second training stage requires a joint sacrifice, since the candidate has to study Religious Sciences for three years without abandoning their family and work obligations. “The entire discernment process verifies that the family is capable of accompanying and coping with this sacrifice. And, what’s more, live it as a blessing,” adds the priest.

In addition to the academic training, there is another specifically diaconal training that takes place every two or three Saturdays and consists of two parts: a theoretical and theological one “on the identity of the deacon” around his triple function (word, liturgy, charity) and another is more testimonial or experiential, in which a permanent deacon shares his vision of how he lives some of these aspects of the vocation.

The wives of the deacons are invited to this Saturday training, and they also participate in the spiritual exercises focused on the diaconate.

The aspirants also have “tutorial groups” led by a permanent deacon and his wife and which include four or five aspirants with their wives.

6. What role do deacons’ wives play?

The fact that they accompany the formation itinerary has the objective that they can also discern “the vocation of their husband and see that it is not an idea, but that there is a call from God.”

In this sense, Father Vera emphasizes that although there is no doubt that the vocation to the permanent diaconate “is for the man,” the wife “accompanies the apostles and, in a certain way, Christ like the Virgin,” but “without assume a role that does not belong to her”, since “she is not a deaconess.”

7. Are permanent deacons part of the clergy?

The deacon “is part of the clergy, because he has received the sacrament of orders, but not the priesthood, but the ministry,” points out the president of the Permanent Diaconate Commission of the Archdiocese of Madrid.

That is, “he participates in the apostolic ministry of the bishop, in a specific way, especially in service, reminding us all and also the priests and bishops that we never stop being servants.”

In this regard, Father Vera reports that during the Second Vatican Council, Saint Paul VI wanted to enthrone the Gospel and someone reminded him that this is the work of the deacon, to which he responded: “We never stop being deacons,” in the same way. that “we never stop being baptized,” adds the Madrid priest.

8. What is the growing importance of permanent deacons in dioceses?

The Archdiocese of Madrid will ordain three new permanent deacons in 2024, reaching the figure of 50. And around twenty are in the training process. Father Juan Carlos Vera does not give importance to these data, but he does emphasize that “it is a reality that is growing humbly.”

And this gradual development responds, he asserts, to the desire of the bishops, who have not been in favor of “carrying out a massive campaign,” but rather have opted “for a slow, gradual growth, in which the deacons are integrated and recognized.” by the presbytery.”

Because it is no less true that “it is not a reality that is kept in mind” and sometimes it even happens that the bishop himself “greets everyone except the deacons.” On these occasions, Father Vera reminds them that this circumstance does them good to remember that his work is “a humble service in the Church.”

In any case, he adds, this reality “is taking place progressively and in a very natural way.”

9. Could its growing presence be a threat to priestly celibacy?

Against those who think that the gradual presence of the permanent diaconate can be a lever to move towards the end of priestly celibacy, Father Vera reminds that “we can make good use and bad use of everything and, as the adage says, Corruption of the best is the worst.”

However, he is convinced that “deacons can help us reposition ourselves in our properly priestly identity and dedicate ourselves to what is more specifically ours,” because in certain cases “we priests have assumed diaconal tasks and have weakened our priestly tasks, precisely because we have not had permanent deacons.”