Pittsburgh Permanent Deacons; 44 years Young.

How it all began way back in 1971.  A young Black man was inspired to become a Catholic Priest and when he approached the diocese with his desire, the suggestion that he go south to an all-black seminary never discouraged Joe, but he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh.  

So Joe began working for U. S. Steel and eventually met Ruth, his wife of many years.  Joe continued volunteering with St. Vincent De Paul and other charitable functions within his church.  No doubt his heart was always close to Christ and he functioned as a servant to the Church.    

Along came Vatican II and the restoration of the Permanent Diaconate.  Bishop Vincent M. Leonard knew of the injustice done to Joe Pace and wanted to right a wrong done to him.  It was the bishop’s desire to just ordain Joe but realized there had to be a class of education especially in Sacred Scripture and Theology before ordination.  Here is where our program began.  

Approximately 400 interested men applied to become candidates and 100 were chosen to take two evenings of exams.  One exam consisted of 600 questions while the other two were much shorter.

We learned that all the men did well on their exams, but since the class could be comprised of no more than one fourth the size of the applicants the choice would depend on the immediate need in their parish.  This was a wait and see situation and one had to wonder, as I did, who would be eliminated.  I was from a parish with four assigned priests and some came from parishes with just one priest. I was sure I might not be chosen as a candidate.  However, when the letter arrived announcing I was one of 29 candidates and the first class would begin in September of 1971, my spirit jumped for joy.

In those early days our class became a new entity in the Church.  Our pastors were given the task to catechize the parishioners and we were warned that the road ahead would not be easy.  Terms like lay-deacons were heard, or mini-priests could be confusing.  We broke the ice for future classes of deacons.  However, in Pittsburgh follow-up classes became nonexistent for quite a number of years.  

The early years, following ordination, had some laughable moments, but the serious side left memories which could be compared to anyone venturing into a new career.  One interesting item that Joe Pace experienced was one Sunday Monsignor Charles Owen Rice, Joe’s pastor, and he were starting to distribute the Eucharist when Joe’s line showed very few parishioners.  The people walked out of Joe’s line and went to the pastor for Communion.  After Mass, Msgr Rice told Joe “we’ll fix that.”  The following Sunday the pastor sat down and only Joe was distributing the Eucharist.  That took care of the discrimination.  

June 8, 1974, 26 men were ordained.  Three of the original 29 dropped out before ordination.  Joe passed away the following December from Lung-cancer, making his vocation short as an ordained minister, but he truly was a deacon in essence all the years prior to his candidacy.  Bishop Leonard said, “I believe this ordination with Joe was providential and if we had delayed the ordination Joe might very well have lived longer.”  

Often, I think of pioneers in many avenues of life.  Pittsburgh’s Diaconate Class was around the 20th diocese in the country to have a program.  The steps along the way were new, confusing, and everyone in the permanent diaconate programs, world-wide, have taken something from the early years of Vatican II and the restoration of the permanent diaconate.

Many stories could be gleaned from any of the first deacon classes around the country and as one deacon who visited ministering in several dioceses the learning was and remains heartwarming with belief in the Holy Spirit’s complete adherence to this important and evangelizing ministry of so many men deep within their faith.  This story is just one.