Information/Resources

The Deacons Council
A Resource for the Diaconate Community

(From the January 2003 issue of The Diaconia by Joe Whipple '96)

While the Permanent Deacons Council is not really a secret, it seems fair to say that it could be better known and understood. This, in turn, would help the Diaconate community and those who deal with the Diaconate to have greater benefit from its work of providing advice and counsel to the Director and serving as a channel of communication to, from, and among deacons.

A de facto council came into being over the years and its existence was formalized with the adoption of the current Guidelines of the Council on September 26, 1989, spelling out the Council’s purposes and duties. These purposes include the following:

• Serve as a consultative body to the Director and staff of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate (OPD) of the Archdiocese of Boston

• Elicit opinions of Permanent Deacons of the Archdiocese of Boston in respect to their diaconal life and ministry

• Develop and recommend guidelines, policies and programs which will help those in the Permanent Diaconate community to be more effective in their ministry

•   Encourage support of the Permanent Diaconate through the exchange of ideas and views, especially in dialogue with other diaconal committees and boards as well as archdiocesan agencies and those affected by diaconal ministry

• Make efforts at outreach to all in the Diaconate community.

In line with those purposes, some of the Council’s duties are to:

• Reflect the thoughts and concerns of the Diaconate community to the Director

• Present resolutions to the Director and staff of the OPD for their consideration

• Advise and assist the Director and staff as requested

• Help coordinate regional and archdiocesan gatherings of the Permanent Diaconate community

• Recommend and support guidelines and policies of benefit to the Permanent Diaconate, and

• Promote and maintain communication within the Diaconate community.

In a sense, the Council could be considered as having a relationship to the Diaconate community similar to that of the Parish Pastoral Council to the parish. But the Deacons Council exists not by mandate of canon law or diocesan statute but by initiative of those in the community.

The Council has three kinds of members: elected, ex-officio, and appointed. All three participate equally in Council decisions. There are two elected members from each of the five regions of the archdiocese. They are elected to two-year terms, and may serve two terms. The ex-officio members are the coordinators of retreats, continuing education, and fraternities. The Director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate may appoint up to four additional members.

In the past the Council was active in supporting and promoting the Emmaus program for deacons, which many deacons found very beneficial. The Council has provided advice on such matters as deacons reaching retirement age, and the role of the Office and community toward the spouse and family of a deceased deacon. The Council has encouraged the creation of a fund to provide assistance to deacons who encounter a financial emergency, and we expect that it can be created soon.

Some matters are not subject to a permanent resolution. The Council can reopen discussion when warranted and can consider questions that others reopen. For example, the selection process is satisfactory now, but that does not preclude modifications as times change. Some matters are likely to be a constant concern because there are always new deacons and new members of the church. The issues of informing the wider church about the ministry of deacons, of supporting deacons in crisis situations, of providing programs for continuing education and spiritual growth and eliciting participation in them by all deacons, and of keeping lines of communication open among deacons and between the Diaconate and other clergy are some which will likely require attention indefinitely.

Directors have valued the advice, suggestions, and insight they have received from the community through the Council. Priests in that position find it essential to hear deacons’ views; and even Deacon Leo Donoghue notes that being in the office of Director gives a perspective that can be different from that of the deacon in the field. While the view from “up close” is important, he finds it equally important to be kept aware of the thoughts and feelings of those who will be affected by the decisions he makes and the advice he gives others.

To move beyond description, we can close by considering what all this means in practice for the reader of this article. The value of the Council is very dependent on its ability to represent the thinking, the wants, and the needs of deacons, their families, and those whom the deacons serve in ministry. It is also important for the Council to be able to communicate with the deacons. And so priests and regional bishops should regard it as one avenue for raising concerns or making suggestions regarding any aspect of Diaconate. Bishops can use the council members from their regions as a way of gathering information about the thoughts and concerns of their deacons. Above all, deacons should always present their wants, needs, and suggestions to their representatives, and in turn expect to hear from them. Deacons, please take a look at the Council minutes posted on the Office website. (www.bostondiaconate.org)