Volume XVI
Number 2
May 1996

The GOOD NEWS and the CHALLENGE

The good news is a recent summary report on the diaconate which presents a very positive view of the integration of diaconal ministry into parish life. (See related article on page 3.) The same report extends the challenge for deacons to expand their influence as "model, animator, and facilitator of ministries of charity and justice within the local church." It seems deacons have done such a good job assuming their parish and liturgical roles that there is some apprehension that they may be neglecting social justice issues in their preaching and service roles, or forgetting their primary call to bring Christ to the marketplace.

One premise of the report that seems valid is that deacon formation programs can probably stand strengthening to "better address the principles of Catholic social justice teaching," and in "developing curricula for deacon formation which will more clearly orient deacons toward embodying and preaching issues of justice, human rights and peace." But I would take some issue with the report when it applauds our "increasingly indispensable adaptation to parish life," yet chides us somewhat for neglecting issues of the church universal. Although the summary report intimates a dearth of diaconal involvement in social justice issues, my personal experience and that of most of the deacons whom I have surveyed is quite the opposite.

I think the problem of the report is more one of perception than of practice. Most deacons I know regularly preach on issues directly affecting the lives of their parishioners, and by extension, the economic, social, and spiritual lives of the rest of society. When I preach, I preach `small'; in terms of the family and the neighborhood, but the lessons of forgiveness, economic fairness, and care for the needy are applicable to parishes, dioceses, and expandable to labor movements, state bureaucracies, even nations.

Perhaps if the report had framed the questions differently it might better nuance the answers, as when they stated that "the vast majority (of respondents to the survey) have not read the pastoral letters or the papal encyclicals On Human Work, or Centesimus Annus." Though it probably is true that all of us are not intimately conversant with every papal encyclical, many of us do regularly read Cardinal Law and Bishop Murphy's writings on contemporary matters of justice in the Pilot, and life in the marketplace offers an ongoing practicum in charity, and the occasional lack thereof.

I appreciate the summary's praise of the diaconate for its contributions and increasing importance to the life of the church, and it is understandable that they feel " it is desirable to move the ministry at least somewhat beyond its current overwhelming focus on parish life, otherwise their future ministries seem destined to tie them even more closely to parish life."

I contend this broadening of focus is already happening. Deacons are more frequently serving as chaplains in prisons, hospitals and campus ministry. They are employed in Catholic Charities, run homeless shelters, and counsel the abused and addicted. Unlike the presbyterate, which is enjoined from holding elected positions, deacons can and do run for office, serve on school boards, and hold other politically sensitive posts. As a social worker in human services, much of my time is spent trying to influence legislation affecting the poor and disadvantaged, especially on issues of housing, children's rights, and hunger. Many deacons regularly preach on the sanctity of human life, organize food drives, and otherwise lobby for the betterment of the marginalized. I posit that the movement beyond a purely parochial focus has already started and is part of a natural evolution begun over twenty five years ago. In the early stages of the restoration of the order it was desirable, and often necessary, to establish our identity and legitimacy in that primary and most visible setting-the parish. However, in establishing our identity so firmly in that setting, deacons have often been perceived as mere adjuncts to their busy priests. This pitfall perception as `assistant priest' must and will be avoided as we grow through a rite of passage to maturity in ministry. As the diaconate has gained experience and acceptance, and our own vision of our place in the church has cleared we are evolving appropriately, and naturally focusing more on our role as `facilitator of ministries of charity and justice.' I believe that with the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit and our bishops, in the future we will be even better servants to `the least of our brothers and sisters'.

Deacon Richard Radford '88

The class of 1990 celebrated their fifth anniversary of ordination at St. Patrick’s in Stoneham. Left to right, front: Joe Vitello, Cy O’Neil, Fred Guarente, Dan Sullivan, Bill Wildes, Bert Guerin, Fr. Dick Butler; back: Bill Kane, Dan McCarthy, Dean Bulpett, Jim Little, Bob Brady, Joe Kasenenko.

Holy Land Pilgrimage: 1996

"Welcome home!", our Israeli guide, David Aarons, greeted us. We were one of the two busloads of pilgrims who had just arrived in the Holy Land under the auspices of Deacon Bill Wildes and the Diaconate Staff. David went on to say that we, as Christians, had come to our spiritual home. Certainly, as we traveled through the Holy Land we felt a strong sense of belonging where we were, in the places we knew from scripture, especially in places sanctified by the activity of Jesus.

We know that God touches us directly through the sacraments and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, but in the places of the Holy Land the pilgrim can return to the touch of Jesus. By following in the footsteps of Christ and His disciples, the pilgrim gets a feeling of being one of their company, and this brings a renewed commitment to discipleship.

Places where we felt the Lord included the Mount of Beatitudes; the shore where Jesus told Peter, "Feed My sheep"; the Jordan River, with renewal of baptismal promises; Cana, with renewal of marriage vows; Nazareth; Bethlehem; the Mount of Olives and Garden of Gethsemani; the Way of the Cross, Calvary, and the Holy Sepulcher.

In the Holy Land, we also recalled our Old Testament roots and became more strongly aware of our spiritual ties to the Jewish people, and to the Muslims, who also worship the God of Abraham. With Jesus we pray these words of Psalm 122: For the peace of Jerusalem pray, "Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace."

Joe Whipple '96

A National Study on the Diaconate of the Catholic Church in the United States 1994-1995

In September of 1993, the Bishops' Committee on the Diaconate approved a project to study the diaconate in the United States. The Committee intended that the study would provide data and observations on the experience of this ministry at the present, with indications for future developments as appropriate. The project was designed to collect information from four audiences: deacons, wives, supervisors, and lay leaders. A preliminary report has been issued and a full analysis and report is being prepared for publication. The following remarks are based upon the preliminary report.

A couple of years ago, I remember receiving in the mail a questionnaire from the Bishops' Committee on the Diaconate. The questionnaire was lengthy and extensive and, at times, a little disconcerting. I am a little skeptical of questionnaires generally and found some of the questions to be leading, not misleading. That is, some questions were framed in such a way that the answers would fall into a particular pattern - almost in a preconceived manner. I found myself a little bemused by some questions with multiple choices that were far from my experience.

I pushed on and finished the questionnaire and mailed it back. Until now, I really forgot all about the incident. Now, as I read over the findings as compiled by the analysts working for the committee, I wonder at the value of doing these studies by such questionnaires. How many others (wives, deacons, supervisors, lay leaders) were frustrated, even slightly, by the questions themselves? To what extent are the findings of the report a product of the process as much as the experience of the diaconate?

Presuming the sincere intentions of a predominant number of respondents, the study did find that the diaconate in the United States is a positive element in the life of the Church. The report concludes that " The restored order of the diaconate has been highly successful "

Challenge

As with most studies that present a positive result, there is a caveat in the form of a challenge. The data examined indicated to the analysts that the diaconate should understand how to expand the ministry from a successful parish based model to a model that manifests deacons as ministers of charity and justice within and without the parish as rooted in the local church.

Comments

The study concluded that a serious weakness lies in the nature of deacons not being more involved in the area of social justice. How valid is this observation for the diaconate in Boston? How do individuals in Boston understand this challenge?

Here are two comments for our individual and collective reflection. First, deacons indeed are deacons day and night. Trudging off to work, or sharing in the community life of the town or city in which the deacon lives, the deacon extends his ministry in ways other than in parochial or liturgically oriented actions. Also, the deacon as a parent, neighbor, taxpayer, and voter adds to the sense of the community in intangible ways.

Second, consider how a questionnaire filled out by people active in parish life might indicate the full measure of a deacon in the social setting wherein deacons spend most of their waking time.

The diaconate is alive and challenging, both to deacons themselves and to the Church. As Pope John Paul has said, " The vocation of the permanent deacon is a great gift of God to the Church and constitutes an important source of enrichment for its mission."

Mike Iwanowicz '76

Deacon Council