Who is a Deacon?

The word deacon originated from the Greek word diákonos, which means "servant," "waiter," "minister," or "messenger." There are three groups, or “orders,” of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters, and deacons. Deacons are ordained ministers as a sacramental sign to the Catholic Church and to the world of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served.” The entire Church is called by Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in a servant-Church.

Various Ministries of the Deacon1

All ordained ministers in the Church are called to functions of Word, Sacrament, and Charity, but bishops, presbyters and deacons exercise these functions in various ways. As ministers of Word, deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of Sacraments, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services. As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church’s resources to meet those needs. Deacons are also dedicated to eliminating the injustices or inequities that cause such needs. But no matter what specific functions a deacon performs, they flow from his sacramental identity. In other words, it is not only WHAT a deacon does, but WHO a deacon is, that is important.

1According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/diaconate/faqs.cfm