The Deacon

These words are both an explanation of and an invitation to developing a ministry that broadcasts and instantiates the Good News of Jesus in a number of sites around the world.

First, the explanation.

It is a tautology to say that deacons are called to serve. That call to service is, in large measure, the essence of who we are, derived from the very name of our order. The service extends beyond the boundaries of the familiar and familial. The service extends to all, especially to those on the margins. The call to serve encompasses those both near and far. We are called to serve as an icon of Christ the Servant.

The scriptural mandates for service are legion. Instances of Jesus’ teaching and way of reaching out to all who were excluded, ailing or poor are too numerous to mention. Jesus’ Great Commission is chief among the counsels that we are to look beyond our own circumstances. The charge is to go to “all nations,” and not just to those nearby: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:19-20).

Catholic social teaching in many of its precepts not only looks to evangelize with the word, but also mandates bringing the healing touch of Christ to those who suffer. We are not only called to solidarity with all; we are also called to acknowledge that all are endowed, as children of God, with the right to a life of human dignity, with the corresponding responsibility to assist in the securing of those rights wherever possible.

Further elaboration is possible, but the point is made. All, especially deacons, are called to serve. Perhaps the entire discussion can be captured by this medieval maxim: Bonum diffusivum sui est. This maxim — “goodness is diffusive of itself,” or goodness is inherently expansive — depicts the fabric of the universe. God’s goodness, and our humble and halting participation therein, has to express itself, has to expand and bless all. We cannot hold God’s kindness and salvation close to our chests, as our exclusive possession. Whatever we have must be shared, given away.

What Caritas Does

Let us turn to the concrete and how we might bring the healing power of Christ to a suffering world. One suggestion is to support the missions, and, in particular, I point to the Catholic nonprofit Caritas for Children. Based in Milwaukee, it exists canonically under a decree as a private Catholic juridic personality and may be found in the official Kenedy directory under “National Organizations.”

The organization’s website explains its ministry in this way: “Since 1998, Caritas for Children has built relationships between children from poor countries and adults with the desire and potential to sponsor them. What makes Caritas different than other child sponsorship programs is that our ministry services are made possible with the cooperation of Catholic religious who are trusted to provide on-location care and supplies to the children in need, including educational necessities, nutritious daily meals, clean water, counseling, religious instruction and more.”

Caritas for Children serves children at 22 ministry sites in Uganda, Nigeria, Belize, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Poland. The reach of service extends beyond sponsorship of children. There are also programs whereby donors can “adopt” a seminarian or a religious sister to assist in their formation.

Moreover, to emphasize a point made on the organization’s website, Caritas works with local religious communities and dioceses and archdioceses. Caritas does not come in to reinvent the wheel. Caritas seeks to utilize the wisdom, experience and skill of those in the very communities being served.

An Invitation to Deacons

Now for the invitation mentioned at the outset.

As a sign of the organization’s creativity, one of its co-founders, Christopher Hoar, has begun a program in which deacons are invited to work with Caritas for Children in development and hands-on work to support the ministry. These salaried positions are an invitation to deacons who might be said to have a certain creative flair. The word “entrepreneurial” comes to mind, though that term is so laden with motives of profit that I hesitate to suggest it. The point is that, as a new concept of supporting the ministry, a deacon who might be interested in working for Caritas would be able to propose to Caritas his ideas as to how he might serve.

For example, a deacon might claim as his area of responsibility his diocese or a subdivision thereof and undertake to spread awareness of the work of Caritas in that region. As part of his work, he would explain and facilitate sponsorship opportunities for those whom he reaches.

Particulars of compensation would be determined by prior agreement between the deacon and Caritas. Compensation is offered to the deacon for several reasons. First, it is to be expected that an appreciable amount of time will be required to do the job well. A deacon may have to forgo other earning opportunities because of his work for Caritas, and “a worker deserves his pay” (1 Tm 5:18 ). Second, offering wages for the work is prudent on the part of Caritas, as it seeks the best possible representatives to share news of the organization’s good work.

Apart from financial considerations, a deacon engaged in the ministry of Caritas will be participating in the “universal call to holiness,” a call placed on each and every Christian, lay or ordained, as explained in Lumen Gentium:

The classes and duties of life are many, but holiness is one — that sanctity which is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who obey the voice of the Father and worship God the Father in spirit and in truth. These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ in order to be worthy of being sharers in his glory. Every person must walk unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity. (No. 41)

We are all “on” for the work of the Church. With the deacon’s encouragement and promotion of the mission work of Caritas for Children, each of us will have the opportunity to grow in enacting the living love of Christ, the one whom we emulate, the one whom we dare to say we image.

For any deacon who, following prayerful discernment, might be interested in furthering the work of Caritas for Children, the next step is to reach out to Caritas via the contact form on their website. You can also reach out directly to Christopher Hoar, the president of Caritas.

In your conversations with Christopher, both of you might explore where and how you might help each other. And, more importantly, you might discover how you both might further the healing work of Our Lord. Bonum diffusivum sui est.

DEACON RICHARD HUDZIK is Director of Ongoing Formation for the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of the Diaconate and serves Mary, Mother of Divine Grace Parish in Westchester, Illinois. A former attorney, he holds a Juris Doctor, Masters of Pastoral Studies, Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. He and his wife have three children and nine grandchildren.