The Ministry of Liturgy: Service at the Foot of the Cross
Sunday 10th August 2025Today, we conclude our series looking into the three ministries of the permanent diaconate by turning our attention to the ministry of Liturgy.
To help us understand a little more about the solemnity of this ministry, we speak with Deacon Stephen Scott, Director of the Permanent Diaconate Programme in our diocese, to find out more.
“The Ministry of the Liturgy is a key aspect of diaconate life, bringing together all that we are and our service to the community to the foot of the cross at the altar.”
As our deacons become more and more a feature of our liturgical celebrations, people across the diocese are beginning to recognise the distinct role they play during the Mass; from proclaiming the Gospel, to inviting the congregation to offer the Sign of Peace and announcing the dismissal. But central to this most visible act of service is ministering at the altar.
In addition to preparing the gifts and the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the deacon plays a very solemn and special role in this part of the Mass, a role steeped in symbolism and beautiful meaning.
Deacon Stephen explained: “During the Mass, we see the deacon mixing the water with the wine and then handing the bread and wine to the celebrant, as he says: ‘By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.’
“What really speaks to me in that moment is the uniqueness of the diaconate going back to ordination, when the bishop says: ‘Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are’. In everything we do, the role of the deacon is about believing what you read and what you say and imparting that to the whole congregation and beyond through family life, work life, ministerial life.
“This moment is about bringing all of that – the humanity of people’s lives – together in offering, and receiving the nourishment and refreshment to be able to go back out into the community and fulfil the mission of the diaconate.”
That nuance of being so cemented at the heart of community life brings about a beautiful dimension to the liturgy as the struggles, challenges, hopes, and prayers of the community are laid before Christ at the altar.
Deacon Stephen continued: “During the Jubilee of the Diaconate in Rome, I recall standing next to a deacon who was telling me about his home life and his wife, who is a double paraplegic. I realised that we’ve all got our own concerns and worries but there’s always someone who is facing more challenges than you are.
“And Jesus warned us that life wouldn’t be easy but he said we had to pick up our cross and carry it. By being so integrated and immersed in the life of the community as a deacon, you are called to pick up those crosses and take them along with you – and it shapes what you do, how you serve, how you proclaim the Gospel and preach to make sure what we hear during the Mass resonates with people, and that is then carried back out into their lives and the community.”
Throughout all aspects of diaconal ministry, there is one common thread that underpins everything: the act of service.
Whether it is sharing the word of God with congregation and community, ministering at the altar, or carrying out practical acts of service to those around, the foundation of every vocation to the permanent diaconate begins and ends with the desire to serve.
Deacon Stephen said: “The deacon is, in a unique way, an icon of Christ – the Servant King. So, it’s about serving in a very particular way; in being joined, in all that you do, with the congregation and community – that bond of the call to service.”
Read more in our series:
Pursuing the Diaconal Ministry of Charity
Diaconal Ministry: Proclaiming the Word
To find out more about the permanent diaconate in our diocese, please click here or contact the Director of our Permanent Diaconate programme by emailing stephen.scott@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Tagged | Diaconal Ministry | Diocese | Events | Permanent Diaconate | Vocations
