Are deacons a new ministry in the Roman Catholic Church?
The order of deacons was present in the very early Church as the bishops ordained people to assist with the temporal needs of the Church and the charitable needs of the people. These permanent deacons were involved with a variety of ministries within the life of the early Church. Over the centuries, for a number of reasons, the diaconate evolved into a transitional status for men on the way toward priestly ordination. At Vatican II, the Church restored the permanent diaconate as an active ministry so as to return to the fullness of orders of the early Church. The Diocese of Green Bay began ordaining permanent deacons in the early 1970’s and as of the summer of 2010 has 138 ordained deacons and 28 individuals in formation. How do deacons serve their Church and community? Deacons have a threefold ministry that includes service of the word, service of the liturgy, and service of charity, justice and pastoral outreach. The specific roles for each deacon will vary, depending upon the gifts
