What is the Diaconate? Questions and Answers

At a Bible Study I am running a question came up about the Diaconate. I answered it as best as I could but it inspired me to put together this article, so thank you Vanessa.

Q) What is the Diaconate?

A) In the context of the Catholic Church, the Diaconate is one of the three groups, or "orders" of ordained ministers in the Catholic Church. The other two are Priests and Bishops. Note that all Priests and Bishops are also Deacons, but not all Deacons are Priests and Bishops. Generally when we talk about Deacons we are talking about people who aren't also Priests and Bishops.

Q) What's the difference between a Deacon and a Priest? 

A) A Deacon is conformed to serve in the role and conform himself to Christ the suffering servant. Deacons are, in a sense, functioning as Christ the servant to the Church at large. At the same time, Deacons are clergy. This means they are also, in a sense, leaders in the Catholic Church. The Deacon's relationship to the Church is to be a servant leader as Christ was a servant leader. But a Deacon is not a Priest. A Deacon does not hear Confessions. A Deacon does not consecrate the Eucharist. The Deacon can preach in Mass and the Deacon can hold funerals and perform baptisms, but these are all things that, in the right circumstances, anyone can do - at least, it's not impossible for anyone to do, even if it would be illicit.

So the best way to think of a Deacon's role is to think of what his grace is meant to aid him to do. The Deacon is the link between the laity and the clergy. They  proclaim theGospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church, baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services. They are, as the USCCB says, leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church's resources to meet those needs. Deacons are also dedicated to eliminating the injustices or inequities that cause such needs.

The Deacon is a servant to the Church, and the grace of the Sacrament aids him in his service.

Q) I've heard that there can be female deacons, and they're even mentioned in the Bible. Is this true?

A) The Catholic Church has never formally defined the role of women in the Diaconate. As of now, however, women are not permitted to be Deacons. 

Remember, Deacons function as Christ the servant. Christ is male. Male and female are not just incidental qualities to a person, but are in fact central to a person's identity. You would not be you if you were a different sex. So it is generally accepted that to properly function as Christ in a sacramental way, you need to be male. It also seems hard to square being a herald of the Gospel - as a Deacon is ordained to be at their ordination - with Paul's instruction that women be silent in Church and not hold authority over a man.

This is not to say that these points are the end of the discussion, and the Church may find answers to these objections and declare that women can be Deacons. There is precedent in other Apostolic churches - the Armenian Apostolic Church has always had female Deacons. But as of now the Church does not ordain women to the Diaconate.

As for the mention of Deaconnesses in the Bible, it gets tricky. It is true that Deaconnesses are mentioned in the New Testament. But the terminology of the Church in the Apostolic age had not yet been fixed. Deaconness might simply refer to a servant; it's not clear that the female Deacons mentioned were actually sacramentally ordained ministers. They MIGHT have been, but not necessarily.

Q) But I see women serving at Mass all the time. They help the Priest and even wear robes. Aren't they functioning as Deacons?

A) You're referring to altar servers. An altar server is not an ordained minister. They're basically just helpers to the Priest at Mass. They have no ogligations outside of that and no Sacramental grace was poured onto them to help them accomplish that role.

Q) Can married men be Deacons?

A) Yes! Unique among the orders of the Roman Catholic Church - emphasis on ROMAN -  a married man can become a Deacon. An already ordained Deacon cannot get married, and married Deacons cannot become Priests or Bishops, and if a Deacon becomes widowed, he cannot get remarried - but a married man can be ordained a Deacon. They also have no requirement to quit their day job, and can even be a part of some lay religious groups (like the lay Dominicans).

Q) Okay, so can I, a man, become a Deacon right now?

A) Not really. If you want to become a permanent Deacon (note that the temporary Diaconate, which men join when they are studying for the Priesthood, is a separate thing), there are a few requirements you need to meet. You:

- Must be a man at least 35 years old.
- A practicing Catholic, and a baptized member for at least 5 years.
- Can be married, but must be valid or annulled and cannot remarry after ordination.
- If married, wife must be interviewed and consent to ordination. Married men cannot be ordained without wife’s approval.
- In good physical health.
- Have a stable mode of income.
- Pass all psychological exams and background checks.

In addition to all of that, most Diocese have further requirements. Some require a Masters degree. Some require less education than that. But either way, you can't just go up to your Bishop and get ordained tomorrow.

I recommend all men consider the Diaconate. You never know what God might be calling you to!