In Service of God’s Redemptive Plan
Family men answer call
to active duty as deacons

By Ambria Hammel, The Catholic Sun
November 16, 2006

GLENDALE — Like soldiers, deacons go wherever duty calls, sometimes having to balance civilian jobs and home life with their commitment to the Church.

Eighteen men submitted themselves to God’s will when Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted ordained them to the diaconate Nov. 4. They immediately began their service at 17 different parishes and missions throughout the Phoenix Diocese.

“Their call is to lead the laity to serve others. A deacon has one foot at the altar and one foot in the pew,” said Deacon Keith Davis, associate director of formation.

The new deacons embodied that image during their ordination earlier this month at St. Thomas More Parish in Glendale. They began Mass just like a typical churchgoer in the pews, surrounded by family and friends.

Later in the Mass, the area around the altar served as a dressing room of sorts, as priests helped the new deacons don their vestments for the first time. The deacons then served as the Mass’ only eucharistic ministers and joined dozens of veteran deacons during the closing procession.

The ordination Mass closed out a five-year formation program in which the candidates — ranging in age from 42 to 72 — undertook an intense application, screening, evaluation and interview process.

All but one of the new deacons is married. The wives and family also played a role in formation.

“We were without a pastor and I made the comment that it would be nice if we had a deacon to help meet the spiritual needs of the parish,” Deacon Michael Holmes said of his calling to the diaconate. His mother-in-law encouraged Holmes to be that deacon.

The candidates took evening classes through the Kino Institute and furthered their spiritual development and pastoral skills. They also spent four months on staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

“That really shapes their humanity because they experience such suffering,” Deacon Davis said.

Candidates spent the last few months in an internship. On the day of their ordination, Bishop Olmsted performed the handing on of the book of the Gospels and affirmed the deacons as permanent, official and visible representatives of the Church.

“Now you are not only to be hearers of the Gospels, but also its ministers,” Bishop Olmsted said.

Deacons serve at baptisms, distribute the Eucharist and officiate at weddings and funerals. They also preside at prayer services, often read the Gospel at Mass and perform acts of charity in the community.

“The deacon is the image of Jesus the servant, the foot washer,” Deacon Davis said.

Ten of the newly ordained deacons will serve in formation — diaconate and laypeople — and four in hospitals and care for the dying. Two are assigned to prison ministry, one to marriage and family ministry, and another to Hispanic ministry.

This class of deacons marked the first required to learn conversational and liturgical Spanish. They will continue to study and be tested on it over the next three years.

Most will also continue to work their professional jobs while spending eight to 30 hours per week volunteering with Church duties.

“It’s desirable,” Deacon Davis said of a deacon’s double duty. “That’s the vision of the Church, to have an ordained presence in the world.”

Newly ordained Deacon Carl Sadler agreed. He doesn’t think he can separate his new ministry from other tasks such as work.

Two of the new deacons are teachers and one a dean. Two are engineers, two work for the Church and others are in business administration. Some are self-employed, including Deacon Bob Palmer who owns a private investigation agency.

“Isn’t that beautiful? Think of the witness they can bring to the pews,” said Deacon Dan Peterson, director of the diaconate.

Deacons returned to witnessing when Pope Paul VI restored the permanent diaconate during the Second Vatican Council. There are currently 14,995 permanent deacons in the United States with 235 in the Phoenix Diocese.

The numbers declined slightly nationwide from last year’s total of 15,027, but stayed constant in Phoenix. The diaconate community increased 32 percent in Phoenix since 1997 and only 27 percent nationally.

Church leaders in Phoenix attribute the large deacon community to the bishop’s leadership and the Valley’s large retirement population.

Phoenix has remained above the national average for the number of priests, as well. That figure dropped 12 percent nationally in the last 10 years, but only about 11 percent in the diocese.