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In the Latin Church, Permanent Deacons gradually vanished to a point where, in 1967, the number was reduced to ZERO!

After Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Letter "Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem" of 1967, the Western Church has now more than 29,000 Permanent Deacons worldwide.

At last, we are catching up with (or have surpassed?) the Eastern Chruches.

Pope John Paul II thanks them for their service at: zenit [zenit.org]

More power to our Deacons, East and West!

AmdG

Of course I would like to see the word "permanent" removed completely...because in our Eastern tradition at least, a man is deacon until such time as the Church needs him to be ordained priest. No deacon should ever have that door closed to him. Even in the Eastern Rite of Ordination, it is implied that any deacon who is needed should prepare himself for further service (the priesthood) and anyone who is pious enough and learned enough---should be able to be ordained to the priesthood at a moment's notice.

In Him Who calls us,
+Father Archimandrite Gregory

Dear Fr. Archimandrite Gregory:

Thanks for your observation; however, it is appropriate from an Eastern point of view as you pointed out.

The permanent diaconate program in the Latin Church is inextricably linked to our discipline of priestly celibacy, which has been discussed here extensively. As such, the permanent diaconate is offered to, and has attracted, married men who yearn to be of service to the Church as members of the "Third Order" of the hierarchy.

Some unmarried Deacons are, also, ordained into this ministry. Of course, seminarians in the Latin Church are ordained as Deacons prior to their ordination into the priesthood.

AmdG

The overwhelming majority of RC married deacons are in the U.S.

Why do you think this is so?

Paul

Latin deacons in Brazil wear a yellow blazer, white shirt with a tie during the Mass. Some of them really think that they look sharp. Do you guys really want to know what I think?
Lauro

Besides the fact that they aren't wearing proper vestments, I think the fashion police should be put on alert.

In Christ,
Anthony

P.S. Lauro, what do you think?

Dear Anthony,
I'm still thinking.
Lauro

Let me guess what Lauro is thinking: Being suited in gold (yellow) and white, the Brazilian Latin Deacons are unabashedly "Papalists!" :p

AmdG

Amado,

Really the Eastern Catholic Churches (and I believe the Orhtodox as well, although I am not sure) weren't much better than the Latin Church. Some maintained one or two at the Cathedrals for liturgical reasons, other did not and still do not have any.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Lauro,

That's what they wear as clericals or that is what they wear for the Mass in place of alb, stole, and dalmatic(which would be a complete violation of the GIRM)?

Fr. Deacon Lance

Dear Fr. Deacon Lance:

Your situation is not that deplorable since the diaconate program in the Eastern Catholic Churches (read: Pittsburgh Metropolia, at least) is ALIVE and KICKING!

Consider the Catholic Church in my native country, the Philippines, with more than 73 million faithful (2003 estimate): 8, yes single digit 8, Permanent Deacons for 2,983 parishes! (On top of that, we have only 7,400+ priests, diocesan and religious, for the entire country!)

Go figure.

AmdG

The deacons I know of wear gray clerics ( gray shirt\pants\blazer with a roman collar )

-Brendan

I goofed!

I checked the Catholic Almanac for 1999.
The number of permanent deacons in the United States is 12,675.

The U.S. doesn't have the majority of deacons in the Universal Church, but it does have a relatively large number of them.

I apologize for the error.

Paul

Yes, I admit, I attend one of the more orthodox Latin Rite parishes, but our deacons are always wearing cassocks. When I first started attending there, I wasn't sure if they all were Priests, but then I saw how they wore their stoles when vested for Mass and/or Vespers

Dear All,
Please excuse my mistake. The people wearing Yellow blazers (who think they look sharp) are a kind of Eucharistic Ministers. They distribute Holy Communion during the Mass and walk around a lot during the Mass. To be honest with you I haven't seen Latin deacon's around but than again I don't go very often to a Latin Church for services.
Lauro