In a heartfelt call for greater inclusivity in the Church’s synodal process, Deacon Dominic Cerrato, who was appointed to the 2020 papal commission on women and the diaconate, is drawing attention to the notable absence of the diaconate in the recent 16th
Archbishop Coakley, who was the main celebrant at the ordination Mass, told the new deacons that in a divided church and in a society "hostile" to Christianity, Christians and their leaders must "prepare themselves not for privilege but for marginalization, for persecution
In August 2016 a commission was formed in order to look at questions that were raised with regard to women and the diaconate by the International Union of Superiors General, who asked Pope Francis about it in a May 2016 audience they
From the earliest times of the Church, deacons served in three ministries at the direction of their bishops, meaning that guy who assists the priest at the altar is more than just a friendly neighbor offering a hand as a junior priest
According to recent statistics, there are some 36,000 priests, 46,000 men and women religious and 19,000 permanent deacons serving in the United States today. Each of these links to an impressive history of service to the people of God through their respective
As intermediaries between the bishops and the laity, permanent deacons within the Church can help resolve conflict, said Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, Missouri, and author of “Understanding the Diaconate: Historical, Theological, and Sociological Foundations” (CUA Press, $29.95). “There is
As the Church in the United States celebrates the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the permanent diaconate, 1,300 deacons and their families — more than 2,700 people in all — flocked to New Orleans for the 2018 National Diaconate Congress, held