The Emerging Diaconate


Book Description

Sketches the current state of the permanent diaconate, especially in the United States, then offers the historical developments which led to the contemporary diaconate, and finally, suggests a vision of the diaconate for the future, always within the matrix of a servant-ecclesiology which should characterize the entire Church.




Deacons and Vatican II


Book Description

The Second Vatican Council committed the Catholic Church to the service of the world when it defined the church to be missionary by nature and a sacrament pointing to and making Christ present to all. Such a vision of the church informed the restoration of the permanent diaconate within the ministerial life of the church--a vocation and participation in Holy Orders endowed precisely with the charism of service. Deacons are called and ordained to serve in the areas of sacrament, word, and charity. This work considers the place and role of deacons in the life of the contemporary church through the lens of the ecclesiological reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Via their preaching, teaching, and sacramental ministry, deacons are uniquely gifted and positioned to empower the lay faithful and advance the church's engagement with the world, commitment to ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, promotion of peace, and championing of human dignity.




Deacons and the Church


Book Description

Is the deacon a minister for our times? Written for deacons of all denominations, this book has implications for the whole church as the issues it raises go beyond the diaconate and touch on the nature of the church itself, on its ministry and its use of the scriptures. It is essential reading for bishops and members of synods with responsibilities for deacons as well as for those who develop or deliver programmes for deacons, for those who might be considering becoming a deacon and for all those who like to be informed about what is going on in the church today.




Word, Liturgy, Charity


Book Description

To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the restoration of the diaconate as a permanent and stable order of ministry in the United States, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University undertook a contemporary study of the diaconate in the United States. Building on studies completed in 1981 and 1995 as well as annual research that CARA has conducted for the USCCB since 2005, CARA designed a comprehensive study of deacons, their wives, diaconate directors, and bishops to explore all aspects of this ministry. This book explores trends in the diaconate as well as current and emerging opportunities and challenges in the ministry. Deacons and their wives, diaconate directors, and bishops share insights about how those trends impact diaconal ministry today and into the future.




The Emerging Role of Deacons


Book Description

A summary of the biblical, historical, and practical role of deacons in the church.




Women Deacons


Book Description

Three related essays by experts on the diaconate that examine the concept of women deacons in the Catholic Church from Thistorical, contemporary, and future perspectives.




The Diaconate in Ecumenical Perspective


Book Description

A discussion of the historical development of the order of deacons, its theological basis in the Western and Eastern Churches, and the relevance and significance of the diaconate for the Church in the twenty-first century.




The Deacon's Ministry of Charity and Justice


Book Description

The deacon's exercise of charity and justice extends the loving hand of God's constant love and mercy to all who are in need. The Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education has called this work "the ministry most characteristic of the deacon." In The Deacon's Ministry of Charity and Justice, Deacon William Ditewig focuses on this ministry as a constitutive element of the nature of the Church itself--always flowing from the ministries of Word and Sacrament and leading back to them, never apart from them. Along with a rich exploration of the scriptural, historical, and theological foundation of the deacon's practice of charity and justice, Deacon Ditewig--one of today's foremost experts on the permanent diaconate--develops specific and concrete principles for exercising these ministries faithfully, authentically, and effectively. The Deacon's Ministry series explores the three fundamental diaconal ministries identified in the teaching of Vatican II: those of the liturgy, of the word, and of charity to the people of God (Lumen Gentium 29). This series, written by three highly regarded permanent deacons, offers a rich combination of theology, spirituality, and practical and effective guidance. Deacons and those in diaconal formation, their families, the bishops and priests they work with, and the people they serve will welcome it.




Forming Deacons


Book Description

Forming Deacons: Ministers of Soul and Leaven consists of essays by recognized leaders in diaconate formation, many of whom contributed to the preparation of the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States, promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2004. While not a commentary on it, these essays take the National Directory as their reference point and foundation. Written from the multifaceted perspectives of pastors, deacons, academics, and church officials--all of whom are directly involved in the formation of deacons--Forming Deacons offers valuable insights on the process of implementing in practical terms the theories presented in the National Directory. This book will be a valuable resource for bishops, their staffs, all those involved in the formation of deacons, and diaconate aspirants and candidates. +




Deacon, The


Book Description

Develops a vision of the distinctive ministerial identity of deacons that is theologically rigorous and practically useful, combining two complementary images: "icon of Christ the servant" and "minister of the threshold."