Photo Source: http://formation.cdlex.org

The Holy Father’s Angelus message centers around today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark in which a man with an unclean spirit is cleansed by Jesus.

Benedict XVI made a remarkable comment on the nature of authority. We all have heard similar comments before, but it bears repeating, especially for us deacons.

Here it is in the original Italian:

 L’autorità divina non è una forza della natura. È il potere dell’amore di Dio che crea l’universo e, incarnandosi nel Figlio Unigenito, scendendo nella nostra umanità, risana il mondo corrotto dal peccato. Scrive Romano Guardini: «L’intera esistenza di Gesù è traduzione della potenza in umiltà… è la sovranità che qui si abbassa alla forma di servo» (Il Potere, Brescia 1999, 141.142).

Spesso per l’uomo l’autorità significa possesso, potere, dominio, successo. Per Dio, invece, l’autorità significa servizio, umiltà, amore; significa entrare nella logica di Gesù che si china a lavare i piedi dei discepoli (cfr Gv 13,5), che cerca il vero bene dell’uomo, che guarisce le ferite, che è capace di un amore così grande da dare la vita, perché è l’Amore. In una delle sue Lettere, santa Caterina da Siena scrive: «E’ necessario che noi vediamo e conosciamo, in verità, con la luce della fede, che Dio è l’Amore supremo ed eterno, e non può volere altro se non il nostro bene» (Ep. 13 in: Le Lettere, vol. 3, Bologna 1999, 206).

Here is my English translation (bold print mine):

Divine authority is not a force of nature. It is the power of the love of God that creates the universe, incarnating himself in his Only-begotten Son, lowering himself to our humanity, healing the world corrupted by sin. Romano Guardini writes: “The entire existence of Jesus is a translation of power into humility… it is the sovereignty that here is lowered to the form of a servant.” (The Power, Brescia 1999, 141.142)

Often for man authority means possession, power, dominion, success. For God, however, authority means service, humility, love; it means entering into the logic of Jesus who bowed down to wash the feet of his disciples (cf John 13:5) who searched for the true good of humanity, who healed the wounded, who is capable of a love so great to give his life, for he is Love. In one of her Letters, St. Catherine of Siena wrote: “It is necessary that we see and know, in truth, with the light of faith, that God is supreme and eternal Love, and he wants nothing else but our well-being.” (Ep. 13 in: The Letters, vol. 3, Bologna 1999, 206)

The themes of service, self-effacement, love and healing run through the nature of authority. While these are truly Christian, meant for all the baptized, and truly a reflection of human nature and human development over time, they are also revealed themes, truths we could only really grasp fully through the revelation of God in his Son Jesus Christ, for Jesus is the full revelation of God. Through him, we know God, for he is God incarnate. He is God made visible.

The whole of Jesus’ life was a life of service, love, and yes, divine authority, indeed “the translation of power into humility.”

Jesus’ authority is keenly expressed in today’s Gospel when he commands the unclean spirit to silence and  departure. His authority is seen in all its glory in his death and resurrection. His authority is poignantly displayed in his washing of the feet of his disciples and in his healing of those who came to him in faith.

We deacons must reflect deeply on these themes if our diaconal lives are to be meaningful, and if we are to live fully the calling we have received. It is our challenge. It is our most effective preaching. It is constitutive of the deacon’s character, so irrevocably imprinted in us.

Authority….. do you see your ministry as a ministry of healing, of washings, of witness (martyrdom) to the presence of a loving God among us, as a translation of power into humility?

God bless all of my brother deacons today!

“Vocation of the deacon is to be a ‘confessor’ of the faith. He seeks to revive this ancient title in democratic modernity….. Central to the deacon/confessor’s anthropology is his self-awareness in Christ crucified…. a confessor is one who has been cast forth, handed over by God…. into the heart of danger like a lamb among wolves. The poor and outcast, not simply the altar, is his vocation. And at every curve and bend of that road he will find challenges and suffering. St. Paul would describe it as warfare. The deacon’s walk is an heroic one…the deacon will meet determined opposition and … extensive satanic counter struggle…the deacon discovers that persecution constitutes the normal condition of the Church in her relation to the world…. Only deacon/confessor.. can keep alive the sense of man and make the world a place where love is gently at work.”

www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_19022000_idf_en.html

St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr

All of this makes me think of an article I recently read on St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr of Rome, the deacon of Pope Sixtus II. You recall, Lawrence was martyred some three days after Sixtus, by being grilled on the gridiron. Lawrence’s diaconate was a call to martyrdom, in service to his bishop and the “treasures of the Church” whom he identified as the poor of his diocese. Lawrence is not officially called a confessor, yet in fact he was, and he serves as a model for diaconate ministry even today. His life as deacon vividly portrays all the Cardinal Stafford was saying some 12 years ago.

Deacons of the world, are we ready to be confessors of the faith? Even in the face of stiff opposition, even persecution and martyrdom? We in the United States, numerous though we are, have in many ways the easier task. Our brothers in areas of the world where martyrdom continues are daily called to confess the faith, even as St. Lawrence.

Today is the feast of St. Stephen, called the protomartyr as he was the first martyr of the Church. He was stoned to death for preaching the Gospel, not long after Christ’s death. He was also one of the first seven deacons of the Church ordained by the Apostles.

I was kidding with my pastor yesterday that I thought the Feast of St. Stephen should be a holy day of obligation…. being a deacon and all. He only kindly smiled.

Here is what the Holy Father had to say about St. Stephen today during his Angelus address:

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen, deacon and the first martyr of the Church. The historian Eusebius of Cesarea defined Stephen as the “perfect martyr” (Die Kirchengeshichte V, 2.5: GCS II, 1, Lipsia 1903,430), because it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, “Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great works and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). St. Gregory of Nyssa comments, “He was an honest man and full of the Holy Spirit; with goodness of heart he carried out his mission of feeding the poor and with the freedom of the word and the power of the Holy Spirit he closed the mouths of the enemies of the truth” (Sermon on St. Stephen II: GNO X, 1, Leiden 1990, 98). A man of prayer and of evangelization, Stephen, whose name means “crown,” received from God the gift of martyrdoml. In fact, he “full of the Holy Spirit… saw the glory of God” (Acts 7: 55) and while he was stoned, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7: 59). Then, have fallen to his knees, he begged forgiveness for his accusers, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them” (Acts 7: 60). Because of this, the Eastern Church sings the hymn, “The stones have become for you hailstones and stairs rising to heaven… and you have drawn close to the glorious and festive gathering of the angels” (MHNAIA t. II, Roma 1889, 694.695).

To all my brother deacons of the world: Happy Feast Day!

Perhaps more frequently, my brother deacons are saying, “I have no time; I am over committed!”

Do you think you are not doing enough? Or too much? What say ye, deacon?

Diaconal ministry is not about always doing more.

It is about doing what is right in front of you with the grace of the diaconate.

Remember, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council envisioned the restored diaconate as a ministry largely focused on bringing the sacramental presence of Jesus the Servant into the secular world…. this means our workplaces and our families.

Regardless of what your occupation is, or the particulars of your family structure and life, our primary ministry lies in our occupations and families, not in trying to keep busy with “real ministry.” For many of us, our real ministry is being Christ the Servant in our offices, factories, union shops, businesses and schools…. all places where we work and to which we are sent as deacons by God and our bishops.

Those of us who are married know full well (if we don’t we are in real trouble) that it is in the context of our marital relationship we first discover our diakonia. We fail as married deacons if we forget or neglect this foundational aspect of ministry.

So the concern, “Am I doing enough?” belies, I think, a misunderstanding of the deacon’s call. We are not primarily parochial. We are diocesan and we are to go where our bishop cannot often go…. into the places of the laity who hunger for the presence of Jesus… into marriage and family life…. and we are to go as deacons conformed to Jesus the Servant and in the name of our bishop.

Then we bring it all to the altar, in service to the bishop, and to the Lord.

Then, we proclaim the Word in the assembly, and we baptize and marry and bury.

Then we teach.

Only then we are able to let our bishop know what the needs of his flock are, and how to respond to them.

Don’t forget that for which the Church has restored the Order… and ordained us…. to be conformed to Christ the Servant and bring the Church into the daily events of our lives and the world.

Evangelize where you are. You don’t have to look beyond what is in front of you.  Bring all of that to the altar, and then notify the bishop of the needs of his people.

If you are doing that, you are doing enough. We are full-time deacons, aren’t we? Always full-time.

92% of permanent deacons in active ministry are married, 4% are widowed and 2% are celibate.

Greater than 60% of deacons are at least 60 years old. Nearly 40% are 60-59, and about 25% are 70 or older.

81% of active deacons are non-Hispanic whites. 14% are Hispanic or Latino. 2% are African American and 2% are Asian.

28% have a graduate degree which is twice as likely to be in a field not related to the diaconate.

Only 18% of deacons are compensated for their ministry.

Only one diocese has no permanent deacons (Diocese of Salina).

The Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska has 519 Catholics for every deacon.

You can read the entire report at http://old.usccb.org/cclv/diaconate-post-ordination-report2009-2010.pdf

Fides

Last year, the number of permanent deacons increased by 952, reaching a total of 38,155. The greatest increase was in America (+552) and Europe (+326), followed by Oceania (+57) and Asia (+23).  Africa experienced a decrease of six. Of the over 38,000 deacons, 37,592 are diocesan deacons (an increase of 1,053) and 563 are religious permanent deacons (a decrease of 101).

An interesting comparison is regarding diocesan priests. They increased worldwide by 1,535, reaching a total of 275,542, including increases in Africa (+888), America (+946), Asia (+780) and Oceana (+26). The numbers in Europe dropped (-1105). Religious priests decreased by 108 worldwide, including a drop in America of 533.

The vocation scene looks more and more promising for our country, especially for the diaconate, but brighter too for the diocesan priesthood.

(By the way, did you know that the Church runs 68,119 kindergartens with 6,522,320 pupils, has 92,971 primary schools with 30,973,114 students and 42,495 secondary schools with 17,114,737 students, and cares for 3, 275,440 university students — all increases since last year? We have 5,558 hospitals and 17,763 pharmacies.)

Let us alway pray for vocations.

Klinghorn has been a deacon for 26 years and has a background in prison ministry.  For the past six years, Klinghorn has been ministering to people once a week in Toronto’s unofficial “red light district.” He lends a sympathetic ear and offers prayer for the women and men he finds there, largely prostitutes and drug dealers.

Klinghorn says the heart of his ministry is about accepting others and “listening to the hurts that have happened in people’s lives and to let them know that if we can accept them, God can.”

To read the article, log on to: http://www.catholicregister.org/features/item13365-deacons-street-ministry-brings-hope-to-prostitutes-and-dealers-on-torontos-streets

Blessings, Deacon Klinghorn!

It is well worth your time to read. It discusses the differences in the prevalence of the diaconate in various dioceses throughout the country, as well as some differing thoughts among diocesan officials as to the reasons for the diaconate in their local churches.

Some interesting highlights:

1. The twenty most “deacon rich” dioceses (the number of deacons to Catholics) statistically show no conflict between fostering the diaconate and fostering of priestly vocations. Seven of those twenty “deacon rich” dioceses also had the highest ratio of seminarians to Catholics.

2. Five of the twenty “deacon poor” dioceses are also among the twenty dioceses with the lowest ratio of seminarians to Catholics.

3. Bishops and other diocesan officials of deacon-rich dioceses attribute their high numbers to pastoral need and active recruitment.

4. The United States has 46% of all the permanent deacons worldwide. The Archdiocese of Chicago leads the U.S. in number of deacons (643) with Galveston-Houston coming in a distant second  at 386. Twenty dioceses have 200 or more deacons in them.

5. The Archdiocese of Chicago has more deacons than in all of Africa and Asia combined.

6. The future is bright for the diaconate, and is one of the shining successes of Vatican II.

To all my deacon brothers, ad multos annos!

There is an interesting piece to the story. After the building of the chapel, Villanueva was worried about the tabernacle placed there, for he wanted to protect it. It was fairly rare for a Catholic priest to be assigned to the location, so he requested the tablernacle be sent home to him. Surprisingly, first a Eastern Rite priest followed and needed it, then a Polish priest followed after that. When it is no longer needed by a priest, it will be sent home.

As Deacon Villanueva said, “If you build it, they will come.”

You can read of this at: www.cns.com/data/briefs/cns/20111110.htm#head2

You can read even more of Deacon Villaneuva at the diocese of Brownsville website at: www.cdob.org/frontpage-news-items/340-faith-on-the-frontlines-

On October 11, 1962, Pope John XXIII opened the Council. As those of us old enough to remember recall, it was a magnificent event – not only the opening but the years that followed. Even though nearly 50 years has passed, and we are currently going through a re-thinking of its impact and its implementation, there is one fruit of the Council that has been an outstanding success and is bearing much fruit.

It is the permanent diaconate.

Many think of the permanent diaconate, which can be conferred on married men, as a “Vatican II thing,” when in fact, it is a very ancient order. Vatican II simply implemented what the Council of Trent called for in the 16th Century, and Trent was simply re-establishing what had been the ancient way of ordering clerical life and service in the Church.

Before there were presbytyrs (who we now call priests) there were deacons, ordained by the Apostles themselves to assist them in the ministry of the Church. For centuries, there were three stable orders (deacons, bishops and priests) all of whom received the same Sacrament of Holy Orders, but ordained to different offices. The diaconate remained a stable, i.e., permanent order, in the Eastern Catholic Churchs, but in the West it became a transitional order to the priesthood, until 1968.

Today, there are over 17,000 deacons in the United States and thousands more worldwide. Most of us deacons do our work in the background, silently and diligently. Seldom are we recognized, and so be it…

We are called to preach the Gospel, whose herald we become at ordination. We offer homilies. We teach the faith, administer baptism, witness marriages, bury the dead, offer blessings, lead prayer and liturgy, and we serve the poor among us.

It is a beautiful calling, very rich indeed.

You may be interested to know that the renewed diaconate took root in the concentration camp of Dachau during the second world war. The priests there began to realize the importance of diaconal ministry, and after the war discussion of it implementation took fire, resulting in the documents of Vatican II.

Thanks be to God the Council Fathers implemented what Trent called for, and Pope Paul VI promulgated the decree!

Thank your favorite deacon the next time you see him, and pray for him.