Service
Holy Helper
Father Deacon Basil Ryan Balke Comments Off on Holy Helper
One of my favorite Eastern saints, one who is not as popular in the West, is St. Pantaleon. Before he was martyred in A.D. 305, he worked as a physician and attempted to bring about healing from suffering in the early Church. He was what we in the East call an “unmercenary,” someone who did Read More
At the Service of Peter
Deacon Dominic Cerrato Comments Off on At the Service of Peter
The election of Pope Leo XIV marks a historic and spiritually resonant moment in the life of the universal Church. As the bishop of Rome, the successor of Peter, and the visible sign of unity within the body of Christ, the pope bears the ancient and humbling title servus servorum Dei, servant of the servants Read More
The Deacon as a Global Mission Partner
Deacon Don Grossnickle Comments Off on The Deacon as a Global Mission Partner
The vocation of a deacon in the Catholic Church is deeply intertwined with the identity of Christ as both a servant and a healer. Jesus Christ, throughout his earthly ministry, exemplified the dual roles of serving others and offering himself in sacrificial love. As the Gospel of Mark states, “The Son of Man did not Read More
The Diaconate of the Laity
Deacon Leon Suprenant Comments Off on The Diaconate of the Laity
A welcome focus of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) was its emphasis on the lay apostolate, especially the laity’s participation in the mission of Christ, who is priest, prophet and king (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 897). So all the baptized are in some sense “priests.” Our first pope affirmed that the Church Read More
Embracing the Peripheries
Deacon Dominic Cerrato Comments Off on Embracing the Peripheries
During his pontificate, Pope Francis has highlighted a vision for the Church’s mission, one that weaves the principle of outreach toward the “peripheries” into the very fabric of ecclesial life. This vision, though appearing simple at first, is imbued with rich theological depth and significant pastoral implications, underscoring a call to action. It speaks of Read More
Custodians of Service
Deacon Dominic Cerrato Comments Off on Custodians of Service
In over 40 years of pastoral ministry, on both the parish and diocesan levels, it became apparent early on of the importance of the relationship between the clergy and the laity. The various documents and decrees following the Second Vatican Council acknowledged and promoted the laity in assuming a more active role in the life Read More
A Look at ‘Our Life of Service’
Leon Suprenant Comments Off on A Look at ‘Our Life of Service’
Since his ordination to the diaconate 20 years ago, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers has been a leading light in the diaconate community, in large part because of his dynamic presentations on a wide range of topics, from apologetics and men’s ministry to sacraments and racism, as well much, much more. What a treat for all of Read More
A Bishop’s Master of Ceremonies?
Deacon Len Penkala 1
As deacons of the Catholic Church, we have been ordained as a “sacramental sign to the church and to the world of Christ, who came to serve, not to be served,” according to the U.S. bishops. This vocation of service is extended to the whole Church, but by virtue of ordination, the deacon is the Read More