Deacons have been members of ordained ministry since the earliest beginnings of the Church. Coming from the Greek word diakonos, meaning servant, deacons are called to serve the people of God through the ministries of liturgy, word, and charity.

There are two types of deacon: permanent and transitional. Permanent deacons are ordained into the diaconate with the intention of remaining in that role, whilst transitional deacons are usually seminarians in the last stage of training before being ordained into the priesthood.

While priests are called to reflect the work of Christ the High Priest, deacons are called to reflect Christ the servant. Both are ordained ministries and have some of the same liturgical functions, but their roles are very distinct. Only priests can consecrate the Eucharist in the celebration of the Mass, offer absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and anoint the sick.

A deacon also leads a very different life outside his vocation. A deacon can be married and have a family, as well as having a separate job outside the Church.

Deacons can be either married or unmarried, but an unmarried man may not get married after being ordained.

A married man looking to become a deacon must be able to demonstrate a stable marriage and family life. A man’s wife must give her consent and support for him to take on the ministry. It is also important that children should not be negatively impacted by their father’s commitment to the ministry.

Just like priests, deacons are assigned to parishes and tasks by the bishop, according to the needs of the diocese. Usually, a deacon will be assigned to a parish close to his home. However, he may also be required to take on ministry – such as providing pastoral services in hospitals, prisons, nursing home etc. – outside that parish.

No. Vocations to the diaconate are not paid positions and are instead taken up on a voluntary basis. Deacons will often have work outside their vocation to support themselves and their families financially.

Although there are some shared duties between priests and deacons, the unique calling of each is very different. The role of deacons could help alleviate some of the heavy workload of priests, but healthy numbers of each are crucial to the life of the Church.

If you are interested in becoming a deacon, your first port of call is to speak to your parish priest, or to contact the our team by emailing diaconate@dioceseofsalford.org.uk