Category Archives: Deacons

A Spirituality of Mission and Evangelization

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Deacon Bob

There are some who write about spirituality issues who are saying the Catholic Church has lost the “masculine” spirituality of the early Apostles who, after Pentecost, went forth to preach to the nations and shaped the culture and world around … Continue reading →

Posted in Deacons, Spirituality | 1 Comment

St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr

Posted on January 22, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Today is the optional memorial of St. Vincent. For us deacons, it is one of those options we want to exercise in the Church’s liturgy. St. Vincent died during the Diocletian persecution. He was a Spanish deacon from the diocese … Continue reading →

Posted in Deacons, Saints and Prophets | 1 Comment

Permanent Deacons and the Roman Collar

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Deacon Bob

Deacon Greg Kandra (see link at lower right) brought to my attention a blog post by Fr. Zulsdorf about the whole thing of permanent deacons and clerical attire. Permanent deacons are clerics of the Church.  Same as transitional deacons, priests … Continue reading →

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2010 Church Statistics

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Deacon Bob

The Church has published statistics for 2010. There are some interesting findings. There are now worldwide a total of 37,203 permanent deacons, of whom 24,030 are from the American continents, and 12,329 are in Europe. The Americas have gained 774 … Continue reading →

Posted in Church News, Deacons | 2 Comments

Attention Deacons! John Paul I and the Authority of Service

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Deacon Bob

Papa Luciani, in his homily for his installation as Pope on September 3, 1978, drew a distinction between presiding over the Apostolic See and service to it. He notes that “presiding in charity is service.” He quotes St. Leo the … Continue reading →

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Random Thoughts

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Deacon Bob

Can’t seem to find much I think is worth blogging about in the news recently. The big hubhub of course is the book that came out about Pope Benedict XVI, the result of an extensive and informal interview he gave … Continue reading →

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The Growing Presence of the Deacon

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Deacon Bob

I ran across another excellent article today about deacons in the Catholic Church. Those of us who do parish ministry as deacons understand how so many of our parishioners think of us a “mini-priests” or  laymen in special clothing acting … Continue reading →

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Benedict XVI and the Diaconate

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Deacon Bob

The Holy Father made a beautiful reference to the centrality of the diaconate to the life of the Church and to the life of Jesus Christ in his homily to the newly appointed cardinals two days ago. I am using … Continue reading →

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Weekend Reflection on Ministry

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Deacon Bob

It is the end of another work week. Since ordination, that statement really doesn’t seem true. My professional job as a clinical social worker continues as it has for nearly 30 years now, but it has be transformed into an … Continue reading →

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Attention Deacons!

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Deacon Bob

I ran across a very interesting article entitled, “The Character of Diaconate Ordination,” written by Deacon James Keating,  published by Ignatius Insight on August 17, 2010. It speaks of the sacramental character that is imprinted on the soul of the … Continue reading →

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Feeding the Hungry

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Deacon Bob

I had the privilege of helping to cook and serve supper last night to a group of twenty or so men, women and children at a Catholic Worker house. David has been making sure “Waffle Wednesday” occurs there every month, … Continue reading →

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Deacons and Marriage

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Deacon Bob

“Ultimately, the sacramental character of the deacon is based in the mystery of  Christ’s relationship to the church….. mystery signifies God’s ultimate plan or way of being….” — Fr. Bill Donovan, Ph.D., Understanding Diaconal Spirituality This quote left me thinking … Continue reading →

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Diaconal Character

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Deacon Bob

Deacon Anthony Gooley from the archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia has authored an article published in The Pastoral Review in which he argues that the deacon as “servant” called to charitable and social justice ministry is a reflection of a misunderstanding … Continue reading →

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Why Is It So Important to Teach Doctrine? Why Doctrine At All?

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Deacon Bob

Those of us who are charged to teach and preach the Faith need to accomplish two things:  touch the hearts of those who listen; and to teach the doctrine of Jesus and His Church. Now, some are of the opinion … Continue reading →

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Deacons at Work, Evangelizing

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Deacon Bob

I ran across a splendid website today, www.thecatholiccafe.com  Deacon Jeff Drzycimski of the diocese of Memphis hosts this site, which includes a number of interesting podcasts. He is also featured on www.relevantradio.com You won’t be disappointed with the time you … Continue reading →

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