The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and the Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States (Ascension)

X NDPD 5

Preface

istry of service is linked with the missionary dimension of the Church: the missionary efforts of the deacon will embrace the ministry of word, ministry of liturgy, and works of charity which, in their turn, are carried into daily life. Mission includes witness to Christ in a secular profession or occupation.” 14 Further, “neither should the prospect of the mission ad gentes be lacking, wherever circumstances require and permit it.” 15 In its renewal the Order of Deacons is permanently restored as “a living icon of Christ the Servant within the Church.” 16 4 Following the closing of the Second Vatican Council, St. Paul VI for mally implemented the renewal of the diaconate. In his apostolic letter Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem , he reestablished the Order of Deacons as a permanent ministry in the Catholic Church. 17 The apostolic constitu tion Pontificalis Romani Recognitio promulgated new liturgical rites for the conferral of the Sacrament of Holy Orders upon bishops, priests, and deacons in the Latin Rite. 18 The apostolic letter Ad Pascendum estab lished norms concerning the Order of Deacons. 19 The apostolic letter Ministeria Quaedam addressed the suppression in the Latin Rite of first tonsure, the minor orders, and the subdiaconate; established norms for entrance into the clerical state; and instituted the stable ministries of lec tor and acolyte. 20

II. THE DIACONATE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 5 Since the Second Vatican Council consigned the decision of the resto ration of the diaconate to individual episcopal conferences, the bishops

14 15 16

DMLPD, no. 27. BNFPD, no. 88. BNFPD, no. 11.

17 St. Paul VI, Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem (June 18, 1967), www.vatican. va/content/paul-vi/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19670618_sacrum-diaconatus. html. 18 St. Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution Pontificalis Romani Recognitio (June 18, 1968), www.vatican.va/content /paul-vi/la/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19680618_pontificalis-romani.html (Latin only). 19 AP. 20 St. Paul VI, Apostolic Letter Ministeria Quaedam (August 15, 1972), www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/la/ motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19720815_ministeria-quaedam.html (Latin only).

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