Deacons’ Council
Minutes
December 17, 2003
Present: Deacons Donoghue, Bulpett, Crimmins, Delaney, Hardcastle,
Messina, Ryan, Shanahan, and Whipple
Absent: Deacons Canova, Goldy, Guerrini, Hickey, Menz, Morel, Santosuosso,
and Wildes
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1. Opening Prayer.
The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. and began with a prayer
from Henri Nouwen’s Advent Reflections.
The minutes of the September 17 meeting were accepted as corrected
to reflect that Deacon Crimmins was present, that Deacon Donoghue realizes
that field assignments as currently practiced before the last year
of formation have had a real impact on candidates so that his underlying
feeling is, “Why change?” and that “Ditewig” is
the correct spelling of that deacon’s name.
2.Response to Archbishop Seán’s Remarks to Deacons,
Deacon Donoghue noted that attendance at the Archbishop’s sessions with
deacons was excellent. His impression is that the Archbishop is strong, firm
in his opinions, and a listening person. Deacon Bulpett noted that he gives
straight answers, does not dance around questions. Deacon Crimmins found him
humble and to the point. Deacon Messina noted that he had brought six pages
of handwritten notes to the session.
Deacon Delaney recalled that Archbishop Seán had initiated the diaconate
in the Virgin Islands. Deacon Ryan observed that he had missed the point of
a request that he promote vocations to the diaconate and asked how current
numbers of applicants stand. Deacon Messina said that they are increasing slowly.
Deacon Donoghue indicated that 12 or 13 “Anglo” applications have
been received and four Hispanic.
Deacon Donoghue informed the meeting that the Archbishop wants to
participate in
meetings with deacons. There could be a model in which the regional members
of the Council schedule two-way sessions. Deacons Shanahan and Ryan noted
that something similar had been proposed in the past. Deacon Ryan asked
about the
purpose of the sessions, and Deacon Donoghue said that they would be to
permit two-way communication between the Archbishop and deacons and to
give an opportunity
for the participants simply to get together.
Deacon Delaney stated that the Archbishop also wants deacons to take
part in marriage preparation. We should work in our own parishes to
promote
it. Deacon
Whipple observed that the monthly vicariate clergy meetings could be
another place to promote that involvement.
Deacon Donoghue observed that the prospective involvement of Council
members in arranging for the meetings with the Archbishop in effect
changes the
job description of members and will affect how we operate. It should
be taken
into account in nominating and electing new members.
3. Response to Archbishop Seán’s Remarks to Priests.
Deacon Donoghue noted that the Archbishop spent much of his time speaking on
the marriage issue and on parish reconfiguration. On the latter issue, Deacon
Donoghue raised the question of how deacons will and should be in the process.
He suggested that deacons should be aware of what people are going through
and help them to go where they need to go. Deacon Ryan observed that most
deacons are probably in parishes which will survive. Deacon Crimmins said
that deacons should be supportive. Deacon Bulpett felt that it could be helpful
to keep the clergy together for some time after reconfigurations.
Deacon Delaney commented that marriage is the truly pressing issue.
Deacon Whipple recounted discussions at vicariate meetings in which
priests who had been involved in suppressions in Revere and Lynn
told of the impact
on them. One former pastor of a suppressed parish recounted that although he
was able to help his parishioners deal with the closing, it “tore him
apart” personally. This indicates that we need especially to support
priests facing suppression of their parishes.
Deacon Ryan pointed out that there are also difficulties in receiving
parishes: the deacon in Brockton is being inundated. Deacons should
do what they can
to help priests handle the increased responsibilities by covering duties
for them.
Deacon Donoghue said that the question of assigning deacons to clusters
needs to be addressed. Deacon Ryan felt that such assignments would
be largely
sacramental, and Deacon Delaney suggested that continuing the practice
of assignments to
parishes would work better.
Deacon Donoghue commented that it is safe to say that reconfiguration
will be painful; being agents of change will be uncomfortable. Deacon
Bulpett
felt that many pastors probably already realize that their parishes are
likely to
be suppressed. Deacon Shanahan said that it is important that parishioners
of suppressed parishes not become “second-class citizens” in the
receiving parishes. Deacon Messina urged deacons be attuned to what is happening
with neighboring deacons so that they are not overwhelmed.
4. Deacon Fund Discussion.
Deacon Messina presented a “Rationale for Deacon Fund” statement,
which he asked members to review and comment on. Under present circumstances,
he is putting it on hold until after the first of the year, but he will not
let the project go. The proposal has gone to the Secretariat for Ministerial
Personnel, and Bishop Lennon is aware of it. The Chancellor was aware of it
and supportive over a year ago but now questions whether such a fund should
exist. Deacon Donoghue noted that there was something of a timing problem in
the context of the VOTF invitation to people to contribute through them. Deacon
Whipple pointed out that, unlike the VOTF program, the Deacon Fund was intended
to be an add-on, not a redistribution of existing contributions to the archdiocese.
Deacon Shanahan stated that some deacons, including senior deacons
pay for their retreats using checks from their personal checking accounts.
What is
policy? Deacon Donoghue stated that senior deacons need not pay for their
retreats. We offer them to them gratis.
5. Diaconate Office Report: Formation, Events, etc.
Deacon Donoghue reported the following.
We miss Sister Clare in the Office.
- He will be taking the Spanish immersion program and will
leave on January 17 for the Dominican Republic.
- Archbishop Seán
wants active and aggressive recruiting in the Portuguese community.
- The
new office space is working well.
- The number attending the Mass for
deceased members of the diaconate community has decreased. We will
rethink how we provide this memorial.
For example, it might be possible to have the Mass included in
an annual convocation of deacons with the Archbishop.
- We had to cancel
the session with Fr. Dan Harrington on the Gospel of Luke because
the number of registrants was far below the number
needed. (In response to a question) there was no prospect of last-minute
participants in numbers sufficient to make the event feasible. We
may try again next year.
- There is a good article on diaconate in the
current issue of “Columbia,” the
Knights of Columbus magazine. There is also a provocative article
in the winter issue of “Church” magazine, asking whom we are
selecting to be deacons and why – to staff parishes, to be
present in the work arena? It suggests deacons ask themselves, “How
many people at work know you are a deacon?”
- The office workload,
especially in formation, is heavy.
6. Membership Committee Report.
Deacon Ryan reported that he had not accomplished the work he had hoped to.
He will reengage and hopes to have nominees selected by January so that elections
can take place in February and new members installed by the March meeting.
(Deacon Delaney left the meeting at this point.)
7. Other Business.
A flyer announcing the National Catholic Diaconate Conference, July 1-4 in
Baltimore, was distributed. Deacon Donoghue felt it would be good to go to.
Deacon Hardcastle said that Marilyn Mandosa was hurt that mailings
have stopped since Frank died. It was noted that the monthly clergy
mailing is directed
only to clergy and is not under the control of the Diaconate Office. There
is a wider issue of whether we as a community are as effective as we wish
to be in including widows of deacons.
8. Next Meeting Date March 17, 2004.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15.
Respectfully submitted,
(Deacon) John E. Whipple, Secretary
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