![\"7](\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/7%20deacons%20.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\ntedious when you see the connections among the various hierarchies in our
\nChurch because none can exist without the other (even though the Church didn’t
\nhave the permanent deaconate for long a period of time). Look at the witnesses of the sainted deacons through the millennia: Stephen, Ephrem, Francis among many. Quoting Pope <\/i>“to work
\nin favor of this pull of priests toward spiritual perfection, upon which, above
\nall, depends the efficacy of their ministry,” (discourse of March 16, 2009).
\nHence, I am happy to see something on the value of the permanent deacons in the
\nYear of the Priest because the call and ministry of priests and deacons are intimately
\ninterrelated as is the call to the episcopacy in the service of the Gospel. Additionally,
\nI am elated the Cardinal once again drew our attention to the need to know our Scripture
\nand the practice of <\/i>lectio divina. Proper and ongoing formation in the Lord and
\nthe Church requires careful attention to the place of Scripture and lectio. The
\nletter said in part:<\/i><\/p>\n
To know Revelation, to adhere unconditionally to Jesus The ministry The <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On the feast of Saint Lawrence (August 10), the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, Claudio Cardinal Hummes, OFM, wrote to the world’s permanent deacons that what the Year of the Priest is also oriented toward the Order of Deacon and what is said to the priests applies very much to the deacons. This … Continue reading Deacons spend their lives for the Gospel as priests & bishops: intellectually, theologically & pastorally<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[74],"tags":[2166,32104],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24888"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24888\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nChrist as a fascinated and enamored disciple<\/b>, to base oneself always upon Jesus
\nChrist and to be with Him in our Mission, this is then what awaits a permanent
\ndeacon, decisively and without any reservation. <\/span>From a good disciple a good missionary is born.<\/p>\n
\nof the Word<\/b> which, in a special way for Deacons, has as its great model St.
\nStephen, Deacon and Martyr, requires of ordained ministers a constant struggle
\nto study it and carry it out, at the same time as one proclaims it to
\nothers<\/b>. <\/span>Meditation, following the
\nstyle of lectio divina<\/i>, that is,
\nprayerful reading, is one well traveled and much counseled way to understand
\nand live the Word of God, and make it ones own. <\/span>At the same time, intellectual, theological and pastoral
\nformation is a challenge which endures throughout life<\/span>. A qualified and up to
\ndate ministry of the Word very much depends upon this in depth formation.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nsecond reflection regards the ministry of Charity, taking as a great model St.
\nLawrence, Deacon and Martyr. The diaconate has its roots in the early Church’s
\nefforts to organize charitable works. At Rome, in the third century, during a
\nperiod of great persecution of Christians, the extraordinary figure of St.
\nLawrence appears. He was archdeacon of Pope Sixtus II, and his trustee for the
\nadministration of the goods of the community. <\/span>Our well beloved Pope Benedict XVI says regarding St.
\nLawrence: “His solicitude for the poor, his generous service which he rendered
\nto the Church of Rome in the area of relief and of charity, his fidelity to the
\nPope, from him he was thrust forward to the point of wanting to undergo the
\nsupreme test of martyrdom and the heroic witness of his blood, rendered only a
\nfew days later. These are universally recognized facts.” (Homily Basilica of
\nSt. Lawrence, November 30, 2008). From St. Lawrence we also take note of the
\naffirmation “the riches of the Church are the poor.” He assisted the poor with
\ngreat generosity. He is thus an ever more present example to permanent deacons.
\nWe must love the poor in a preferential way, as did Jesus Christ; to be united
\nwith them, to work towards constructing a just, fraternal and peaceful society. <\/span>The recent encyclical letter of
\nBenedict XVI, <\/span>Caritas in Veritate<\/i> (Charity in Truth), should be our updated
\nguide. <\/span>In this encyclical the Holy
\nFather affirms as a fundamental principle “Charity is the royal road of the
\nsocial doctrine of the Church” (n. 2). Deacons must identify themselves in a
\nvery special way with charity<\/span>. The poor are part of your daily ambiance, and
\nthe object of your untiring concern. One could not understand a Deacon who did
\nnot personally involve himself in charity and solidarity toward the poor<\/span>, who
\nagain today are multiplying in number.<\/span><\/p>\n