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

NDPD

Doctrinal Understanding of the Diaconate

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40 The Apostles’ decision to appoint ministers to attend to the needs of the Greek-speaking widows of the early Church at Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-7) has long been interpreted as a normative step in the evolution of minis try. It is seen as a practical response to Jesus’ command during the Last Supper of mutual service among his followers. In washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus as Head and Shepherd of the community modeled the ser vice that he desired to be the hallmark of their faithfulness. This gave the disciples a powerful sign of the love of God that was, in Jesus him self, incarnate and intended to be forever enfleshed in the attitudes and behaviors of his followers (see Jn 13:1-15). The deacon, consecrated and conformed to the mission of Christ, Lord and Servant, has a particular concern for the vitality and genuineness of the exercise of diakonia in the life of the believing community. In a world hungry and thirsty for convincing signs of the compassion and liberating love of God, the dea con sacramentalizes the mission of the Church in his words and deeds, responding to the Master’s command of service and providing real-life examples of how to carry it out. VIII. AN INTRINSIC UNITY 41 By ordination, the deacon, who sacramentalizes the Church’s service, is to exercise the Church’s diakonia . Therefore, “the diaconal ministries, distinguished above, are not to be separated; the deacon is ordained for them all, and no one should be ordained who is not prepared to under take each in some way.” 46 “However, even if this inherent ministerial ser vice is one and the same in every case, nevertheless, the concrete ways of carrying it out are diverse; these must be suggested, in each case, by the different pastoral situations of the single churches.” 47 A deacon may also have greater abilities in one aspect of ministry; and, therefore, his service may be marked by one of them more than by the others. Fundamentally, however, there is an intrinsic unity in a deacon’s ministry. In preaching

46 47

PDG (1984), no. 43. BNFPD, no. 10.

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