Annual Deacon Collection 2002

Today's Gospel is all about choices, isn't it? Do you work in the vineyard every day? Or do you say you will, and then decide to let someone else do it? Do you just tell a good story, or do you walk the talk?

Here in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, there are 211 men who have chosen to work the vineyard. [stats from George, esp compared to other dioceses]

"Bob" is comptroller for a large manufacturing company in St. Louis County. He and his wife Jane have been married for twenty five years and have two grown children. When the kids were in school, he was an active volunteer, both at school and with his parish's athletic program. In addition, he has been a volunteer at the homeless shelter at St. Peter and Paul Church in Soulard for many years.

As his children grew into young adults, Bob realized that he would soon have more free time and he felt a strong calling to make more of a commitment to God and to his church. Two years ago, he was ordained as a permanent deacon at the Cathedral Baisilca.

Most of the people in the parish see Bob on Sundays, assisting his pastor, Fr. Tim at mass. Many of them believe that this is his only ministry. Some wonder exactly what the difference is between Bob and any other Eucharistic minister or lector. Some even think he's a priest. What is the difference between a deacon and a priest or between a deacon and a lay minister?

First, like Fr. Tim, Bob has received the sacrament of Holy Orders. Through the laying on of hands, Bob has received a special grace that marks him permanently as a minister of Christ. But, where the priest is first and foremost the minister of the Eucharist, the deacon is first and foremost a minister of service.

By assisting the priest on the altar at mass, Bob is a reminder to those in attendance that all of us are called to serve one another. During the mass, it's the deacon who invites us to "offer each other the sign of peace." He also dismisses us, telling us to "go in peace" to love and to serve.

While Bob may spend two or three hours at church on Sunday, assisting at mass, he spends at least ten hours each week at the homeless shelter. His presence on the altar grows out of his service to those in need. Fr. Tim also spends many more hours in service each week than he spends on the altar. The difference is that Father Tim's service flows from the Eucharist. For the priest, the Eucharist comes first. For Deacon Bob, service comes first.

So, how is Bob different from a lay minister? Other than reading the Gospel, it seems like anyone can do most of the things that Deacon Bob does. One big difference is that a lay minister can stop anytime he or she wants to. Bob, on the other hand, has made a lifelong commitment to the church. He is an ordained minister for eternity. Deacons don't take the place of lay ministers. In fact, one of Bob's obligations as a deacon is to encourage lay people to become more involved in the church. He schedules and trains the lectors and Eucharistic ministers for his parish.

Another difference is the grace of the Holy Spirit that is conferred at ordination. If you ask Bob, he'll tell you that it's hard to explain, but that he can feel the Spirit's presence in his life. There is an inner strength that wasn't there before ordination. He finds himself in situations where he can be of help, often quite unexpectedly. While the Spirit gives Fr. Tim the grace to turn bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, He gives Deacon Bob the grace to find the right words to say when someone is hurting, and He puts people in Bob's path who need his help.

Bob puts in a lot of hours at his full-time job. But, he is not a "part time deacon." He is a minister of the church, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He leads his department by example and is frequently called upon to minister to those with whom he works. He is truly a bridge between the church and those in the business world.

If you ask Bob to explain his vocation as deacon, he likes to compare it to his vocation as Jane's husband. "When we were married, we were two very different individuals. But, when we became husband and wife, we received a special grace. We made a lifelong commitment to one another and the Holy Spirit has been with us for the last 25 years, helping us stay together. Sure, it's been difficult. Anything worthwhile usually is. But with God's help and the grace of the sacrament, we've been together for a quarter of a century. Marriage is about putting the other person's needs first and it's forever.

"When I became a deacon, I made a similar commitment to the church. I received the Holy Spirit and the grace to do whatever the church asks me to do. The diaconate is about putting the other person's needs first and it's forever.

"By the way, you know that as a married deacon, my family always comes first. That's the way the church wants it. In fact, I couldn't have been ordained without Jane's permission. Matrimony came before Holy Orders and that's a married deacon's priority."