Diaconal Relationships Surrounding the Hour of Death
Deacon Steve Kramer 0
“Merciful Lord, you know the anguish of the sorrowful, you are attentive to the prayers of the humble. Hear your people who cry out to you in their need, and strengthen their hope in your lasting goodness.” These powerful words in the Rite of Committal are quite familiar to priests and deacons. Every time a Read More
The Uniqueness of My Situation
Maria Pusateri 0
Recently, I was approached by a parishioner after Mass telling me what a unique position I was in by being able to serve with my husband. That particular day, I had served as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion. After Communion, I returned the ciborium to the sanctuary to give to my husband. The parishioner Read More
Silence and Discernment of the Deacon
Deacon Carl Sommer 0
The other day I saw a young lady I know who had a sticker on her backpack that said, “Silence is death.” I know this teenager well enough that I could ask her about the sticker. She told me that the saying originated in the 1980s when the AIDS crisis was fully blown, and some Read More
‘Configured to Christ’ Digs Deeply into Human Nature
Deacon David A. Lopez 0
“Believe what you read; teach what you believe; practice what you teach.” This exhortation to newly ordained deacons (and permanently relevant, therefore, to all three ranks of the clergy) points to the unchanging Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The sacramental grace of holy orders, building on that of baptism and confirmation, allows us not Read More
Lamentations of the Assumption
Father Deacon Basil Ryan Balke 0
Summertime in the Byzantine rite always ends with the great feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Aug. 15. Most people might know this feast by the name Assumption. There is a great deal of debate about this feast between the churches, including questions about if the Theotokos died and what the ramifications of Read More
Dumbing Down and Deacons: A Catholic Alternative
Karl A. Schultz 0
One of the key concepts in society and the modern Church is accessibility. Given steadily declining attention spans and a societal compulsion for instant gratification, to be acceptable (and marketable) to the person on the street or in the pew a message must be immediately comprehensible with a minimum of time and effort expended. This Read More
Seeking Mystery
Susan Kehoe 0
I still remember the awe and wonder I felt as a child when I looked up at the night sky; the sky was domed and filled with millions of stars. In those moments, I knew with certainty that there was a God. As the psalmist proclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God; / the Read More
Sharing Diaconal Spirituality with the Laity
Deacon Dominic Cerrato 0
While writing my previous book, “Encountering Christ the Servant” (OSV, $18.95), I gave some of the early drafts to a few of my lay friends to proofread. I wanted to ensure that the final manuscript sent to the publisher would be well-polished and free of errors typically associated with initial submission. To my surprise and Read More