What is the Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church?
Pope Francis hands the Book of the Gospels to Deacon Don Fox, a deacon of the Diocese of Richmond, during the celebration of Mass at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 5, 2019. Deacon Fox was living and working in Abu Dhabi at the time of Pope Francis’ visit to the UAE, the first ever visit by a pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula. (Photo/Pope Francis Instagram)
The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons prepared by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sets forth guidelines to give direction in the selection, discernment and preparation of qualified men for diaconal ministry. Men to be considered for this special ministry should already witness as leaders in the Church. They are called by the Holy Spirit through the Church community; therefore, it is the responsibility of both the man and the community to discern who should be called as deacons to serve the Church.
There are patterns of behavior that give clues to a man’s penchant for diaconal service. They are:
There are also spiritual and evangelical qualities prevalent in this special ministry. They are: