Our Deacons

Deacons: Ministers of Service

“It is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine myster-ies, above the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting and blessing mar-riages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, the ministry of education, and indicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.”

The permanent diaconate, which can be conferred on married or single men, is for men who make a lifelong commitment to serve as a deacon. In our archdiocese, men who have completed the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program (or its equivalent) can apply for admission to the Deacon Formation Program. As they discern the call to the diaconate, they gather every other weekend at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary for three years of formation and study.

The transitional deaconate is for men who intend to become priests, thus transitional deacons must be single men. Seen before Vatican II as a “brief stepping stone” to priesthood, the transi-tional deaconate has been restored so that men preparing for priesthood ordination would be-come deacons and exercise diaconal ministry for several months before becoming priests. In our archdiocese, men discerning a call to the priesthood enter a five-year program of formation and study at the seminary after they have attended college. Transitional deacons are normally ordained deacons about one year before they are ordained priests.

To contact a Deacon, please call the Parish Administration Office at 233-1503 or email [email protected]