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Deacons / diáconos
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As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once, they left their nets and followed him. (Mt 4:18-20)
Deacons serving at St. Pius X:
Victor Carpio
Francis Huy Huynh
Victor Manuel MedranoABOUT THE PERMANENT DIACONATE
“By divine institution, the sacrament of orders establishes some among the Christian faithful as sacred ministers through an indelible character which marks them. They are consecrated and designated, each according to his grade, so that they may serve the People of God by a new and specific title.” – Code of Canon Law, can. 1008
The diaconate is the first degree of Holy Orders, and the character conferred therein is the most fundamental. The diaconate, like the other Orders, is oriented to the service of the People of God.
Deacons serve in a variety of ways. Although most visible (to most) while assisting at the altar at Sunday Mass, and sometimes preaching, deacons carry out their ministry in many other ways, including: overseeing corporal works of mercy; prison and hospital chaplaincy; sacramental preparation; baptizing; witnessing marriages in the name of the Church; and conducting funerals. A deacon’s ministry will naturally vary depending on his assignment and the needs of his community.
The diaconate has existed in the Church since apostolic times, and we venerate several deacons as saints, including St. Lawrence, St. Ephrem, and St. Francis of Assisi. Although for a time it fell out of use as a permanent order – becoming instead merely the final step of formation on the path to the priesthood – the diaconate was restored as a stable order by St. Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council, and opened to married men as well as celibates. Thus we find in the life of the Church today both Permanent Deacons and so-called “Transitional Deacons” (that is, those preparing for the priesthood). Both share in the one character of the diaconate, and one is no less “deacon” than the other.
ACERCA DEL DIACONADO PERMANENTE
"Por institución divina, el sacramento del orden establece a algunos entre los fieles cristianos como ministros sagrados que los marca a través de un carácter indeleble. Son consagrados y designados, cada uno según su grado, para que puedan servir al Pueblo de Dios con un título nuevo y específico." – Código de Derecho Canónico, can. 1008
El diaconado es el primer grado de las Órdenes Sagradas, y el carácter conferido en él es el más fundamental. El diaconado, como las otras Órdenes, está orientado al servicio del Pueblo de Dios.
Los diáconos sirven de varias maneras. Aunque más visibles (para la mayoría) mientras asisten en al altar durante la misa dominical, y a veces predican, los diáconos llevan a cabo su ministerio de muchas otras maneras, incluyendo: supervisando las obras corporales de misericordia; capellanía penitenciaria y hospitalaria; preparación sacramental; bautizar; testificar matrimonios en nombre de la Iglesia; y la realización de funerales. El ministerio de un diácono naturalmente variará dependiendo de su asignación y las necesidades de su comunidad.
El diaconado ha existido en la Iglesia desde los tiempos apostólicos, y veneramos a varios diáconos como santos, incluidos San Lorenzo, San Efrén y San Francisco de Asís. Aunque durante un tiempo cayó en desuso como orden permanente, convirtiéndose en cambio simplemente en el paso final de la formación en el camino hacia el sacerdocio, el diaconado fue restaurado como una orden estable por San Pablo VI después del Concilio Vaticano II, y se abrió a hombres casados y célibes. Así encontramos en la vida de la Iglesia de hoy tanto diáconos permanentes como los llamados "diáconos transitorios" (es decir, los que se preparan para el sacerdocio). Ambos comparten un carácter del diaconado, y uno no es menos "diácono" que el otro.
Steps to ordination of deacons
Rite of candidacy
After of the Aspirancy Period (one year of formation) the aspirants who have been selected by a committee and the Bishop, will submit their own personal petition to the Bishop requesting candicacy. After this is accepted the candidate will then formally continue his formation in the diaconate School of Theology.
Ministry of Reader
At the end of the second year the candidates will petition for and if selected will receive the Ministry of Lector. They are now the servants of the Living Word of God. Those who receive the Ministry of Lector must be carefully prepared so that when he reads Sacred Scripture the faithful have will have clear understanding of the word.
Ministry of Acolyte
At the end of the third year the candidates will petition for and if selected will recieve the Ministry of Acolyte.
They are now appointed to aid the deacon and to minister to the priest. Some of his duties will include: assisting the deacons and priests in liturgical celebrations, especially Mass; attend the service of the altar, as a special eucharistc minister can distribute communion when appropirate.
Rite of Ordination
At the end of the fourth year, candidate must sign an Oath of Freedom, a Profession of Faith and make a formal petition for Ordination to the Diaconate. If the candidate is married his wife must sign a State of Consent. The candidate draws up and signs his own personal declaration and gives it to the Bishop testifying that they will be receiving the order freely and of thier own accord.
Holy Orders is a unique sacrament
There are two notable ways in which the sacrament of Holy Orders differs from the other sacraments.
One is the fact that Holy Orders can be administered only by a bishop. Only a bishop has the power to ordain priests. An ordinary priest cannot pass his power on to another. The second way in which Holy Orders differs from other sacraments is that Holy Orders is not received all at once.
When we are baptized, we are completely baptized by the single pouring of water. When we are confirmed, we are completely confirmed in a single ceremony. Holy Orders, however, is given by degrees, by successive steps.
Three successive stages:
Like a flower developing from bud to full bloom, so does the sacrament of Holy Orders unfold itself through three stages as it confers successively the powers of deacon, priest, and bishop.
Deaconship, priesthood, and bishopric are the three stages in the sacrament of Holy Orders as it was instituted by Christ. At each stage, as in every sacrament, there is an increase in sanctifying grace. At each stage there is the imprinting of a character upon the soul; each successive character, like a progressively brighter sun, enveloping and containing the one that has gone before.
In that character are rooted the right and the power that belong to the order which is being received.- For the deacon it is the right to baptize, to preach, and to administer Holy Communion.
- For the priest it is the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ and to forgive sins.
- For the bishop, who alone has the complete fullness of the priesthood, it is the power to confirm and to ordain—to pass the power of the priesthood on to others in the sacrament of Holy Orders.
http://www.beginningcatholic.com/holy-orders.html