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Becoming a Permanent Deacon in the Diocese of Westminster

The Permanent Diaconate in Westminster Diocese of Westminster

What is a Deacon?

He is a man called by the Bishop of the Diocese to Ordination.
He is ordained to serve the Church in a threefold ministry

The Ministry of Charity –
He is particularly called to serve the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised.
He will coordinate the local church’s response to their needs.
He will have a special care for matters of social justice.
He will foster and support parish groups and organisations.

The Ministry of the Word –
He will proclaim the Gospel and sometimes preach at Mass and other Religious Services.
He will preside over Services other than the Mass.
He will lead the people in Prayer
He will officiate at Funeral and Burial Services.

The Ministry of the Altar –
He will offer Service at the altar at Mass assisting the Bishop or Priest.
He will distribute Holy Communion at Mass, in hospital and in the homes of the sick, the housebound and the dying.
He will Baptise and prepare people for that sacrament.
He will officiate at Marriages and prepare couples for that Sacrament.

Microsoft Word Becoming a Permanent Deacon – Article from the Pastoral Review

PDF The Handbook for Permanent Deacons

Has the Church always had Deacons?

Right from New Testament times it was so. The Acts of the Apostles 6: 2-4 tell us about the selection of St Stephen and six others:

The twelve summoned the disciples and said; ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables Therefore brothers, pick out seven men of good repute full of the spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty.”

Some Deacons are transitory – that is, they are ordained for a relatively short time as part of their journey to Ordination as a Priest. Indeed over time this became the norm in the Church until the Second Vatican Council.

Some Deacons are Permanent. They remain in this calling for the rest of their lives. They can be single or married. This is how it was in the early Church.

If single, they take a promise of celibacy when they are ordained and they live from then on as celibates.

If married, they may not remarry should their spouse predecease them.

In 1964 the Church recognised a need in the modern world for the diaconal role. So she decided to return to the practise of the first Christian communities and ordain deacons for life-long service.

In 1972 Pope Paul VI stated that the permanent diaconate should be a driving force for the Church’s service towards the local Christian communities as well as a sign or sacrament of the Lord Jesus himself who came not to be served but to serve.

Microsoft Word Deacons and the Pope

Who can apply in this diocese?

Single men over 35 who feel a call to service of the Church and the World who also feel called to a celibate life.
Married men over 40. Most of these candidates will be in the world of work and will continue there after ordination.
Indeed it is the role of the permanent deacon to have one foot in the sanctuary and the other in the workplace.

The men will have demonstrated the necessary maturity for a life-long commitment.
They will be prepared to embark on a 3 year course of formation.
They will be already working collaboratively with priests and lay-people in the local church in works of service and exercising some leadership roles.
Above all, they will be men of faith and prayer with a desire to serve others for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

Where can I get more information?

Fr Stephen Bartlett	Contact the Director for Permanent Deacons Father Stephen Bartlett Our Lady of Sorrows, 17 Cirencester Street Paddington London W2 5SR 020 7286 2672 stephenbartlett@rcdow.org.uk
or
Deacon Jim Richards	Contact the Assistant Director for Permanent Deacons Deacon Jim Richards 07977 133 572 jrichards@cathchild.org.uk
or
Deacon Anthony Clark	Contact the Assistant Director for Permanent Deacons Deacon Anthony Clark 6a Rodborough Road London NW11 8RY 020 8455 9822 or 07545 373548 anthonyclark@rcdow.org.uk