Dear Editor: As a deacon for over 31 years, I can honestly say that there is more to serving as a deacon than what Deacon Ferrari wrote (“Is There a Need for Permanent Deacons?” Aug. 18).
How about being a bridge between the pastor (priest) and parishioners? So many over the years have come to me with parish problems and questions that they felt they couldn’t directly ask the pastor.
How about being an enabler, inspiring parishioners to serve in some of the ministries of the parish? And the most important reason for me to become a deacon was the fact that a deacon can serve as any or all of the altar ministries like lector, server, cantor, minister of communion, etc., whereas a lay person is supposed to serve in only one function at Mass.
One thing I can relate to is the “suffering servant” model of Christ. I’ve always tried to be a faithful “suffering Servant” even when I was told “we don’t need you around here” or “you’re too ‘old fashioned, John’” by certain priests I served under and not allowed to do any ministries in the parish.
The grace of that was I became more active in outside ministries, such as the pro-life movement, prayer groups, hospital visitation, etc. God calls us to be His deacons and we only want to serve to the best of our ability and the grace God gives us!
NAME WITHHELD
Via website
Dear Editor: I take issue with the statement that “ a lay person is supposed to serve in only one function at mass” in the letter about deacons written by “name withheld”. Nothing I say should be taken as disminishing the role that deacons serve in our church, which is an awesome responsibility. However, I wonder what “one function” the writer had in mind. Was it altar server or sacristan? Was it lector or extraordinary minister of communion? Was it cantor, choir director, organist or choir member? Or was it usher or greeter? I’m sure that the writer did not mean to minimize the role that lay people have in the celebration of the mass, but in the same issue of The Tablet that Bishop DiMarzio warns of the dangers of clericalism, the writer shows us a very real danger of clericalism.