In 258 AD, the Roman emperor Valerian ordered the execution of all Christian clergy in Rome. Pope Sixtus II had been arrested and was being led to his death when his Archdeacon Lawrence approached him with these words. Several days later, Lawrence too would be martyred, following in his bishop’s footsteps. The legend of Lawrence of Rome has inspired Christians, especially deacons, ever since. And his words echo through the ages.
“Father, where are you going without your deacon?” These words came to mind recently when the list of participants was published for this October’s Synod on Synodality. As a student and teacher of Ecclesiology, I was excited to see the expanded “guest list”. Every conceivable category of persons is going to participate in the Synod. Lay women and men, religious women and men, young students, bishops, presbyters, theologians, canonists — almost everyone gets a seat at the table. It is a glorious tapestry of the Church! Except that one strand of color will be missing from that tapestry.
“Father, where are you going without your deacon?” Among all the participants in this part of the synodal process, there seemed to be not a single solitary deacon. I was later able to verify that one or possibly two deacons would be there, although not from North America. To many people, this dearth of deacons may not seem an important issue. However, the diaconate is an ordained ministry that is uniquely synodal in its nature and focus. Ordained “in the person of Christ the Servant” to model the kenotic nature of the Church, deacons are (in the words of St. John Paul II) “apostles of the New Evangelization.” Deacons proclaim, invite, mediate, and pour themselves out to meet the needs of others, with a unique relationship to the bishop and his ministry. In 1967, when St. Paul VI implemented the Second Vatican Council’s decision to renew a diaconate permanently exercised, there were no so-called “permanent” deacons in the Church. Today, there are more than 50,000 such deacons, with about 40% of those deacons here in the United States.
This is more than a question of numbers, however. It is the fact that, given what the Church believes and teaches about the very nature of the diaconate, one of the three orders of ordained ministry in the Church, deacons could and should contribute to the synodal process, including the October Assembly. So, on at least two levels, the current absence of deacons in the process is crushing. First, our absence suggests that deacons have nothing to contribute, or conversely, nothing to learn from the process of the Synod. Second, who is there to share our story, our insights, and our vision?
“Father, where are you going without your deacon?”
Deacons Today: Servants in a Servant Church 
[…] “Father, Where Are You Going Without Your Deacon?” […]
Bishops always want and need more priests, but the first group to be ignored are deacons. JPJ2, Bendict and Francis have all noted a diocese with no deacons is incomplete. There are dioceses where there is no deacon formation program presumably because they are afraid all those men will opt to marriage and religious life and not become priests as if that is a binary choice. This deliberate exclusion of deacons is not likely to create a true Synodality.
Has anyone written to Pope Francis directly and ask him why? Asked to rectify?
your deacons, male AND female…
Don’t worry the Church will get it in another 50 years – maybe?
Don’t worry perhaps the Church will get it in another 50 years – maybe?
Unable to answer those questions just yet. Sorry, I posted as “anonymous” when I first responded to you. My bad!
I have a feeling that those so strongly advocating for women deacons would turn away from it when they realize that deacons aren’t even at the table in this Synod. Literally every other group in the Church is there, i.e., bishops, priests, lay men and lay women, and men and women religious. Sadly, deacons, those men that have received the first of the Holy Orders, are included less than anyone else! Women are already seated at the table!
Well written my brother deacon!
What comes to mind is St. Ignatus of Antioch who, in his letter to the Trallians, wrote: “…all should respect the deacons as Jesus Christ, just as all should regard the bishop as representing the Father, and the priests as God’s senate and the college of the apostles. Without these three orders, you cannot begin to speak of a church.”
Sadly, the synodial process now moves forward without the whole Church.
I’ve been ordained for 34 years. I’ve often heard these observations. I’ve been assigned to 3 parishes. In the first, my pastor who was my friend retired. His replacement didn’t want Deacons to catch him at what he was doing. I served in my 2nd parish for 26 years with a great pastor who enabled and empowered me to function fully in all capacities as a Deacon. He retired. His replacement lasted 4 months. The nex replacement thought that he was bishop. I left and went to my third parish where I have served for 5 years. Once again, I got a pastor who wanted and needed a Deacon. In all that time the ministries outside the parish continued. I’ve served under 3 bishops who knew exactly what to do with a Deacon. The power and value of the Deacon is in service
If, in fact, there are deacons on the Synod committee, I can’t help but wonder why we aren’t designated as such, like priests and bishops? Are we being lumped in with the laity such that the diaconal voice, our unique contribution to this conversation and the mystery of salvation, will be diluted? This would, from all outward appearances, seem so. Like bishops, priests, religious and laity, Christ the Servant, whose preeminent witness deacons are called to give, should be heard with the same dignity and respect as all the other segments in the Church. Whether intentional or not,to omit the diaconate as an order is to send a negative message to deacons and the Church that our voice is not worth listening to.
It’s a disheartening fact that some priests and bishops “get it” while others don’t! The voices who would relegate Deacons to a state of Ecclesial “Limbo” seem to have influence beyond their numbers! To paraphrase another description of relations in the Church; we deacons seem to be designated to “stay, pray and obey” with no say! St. Lawrence, pray for us!
[…] recent essay on the apparent lack of deacons at the upcoming Assembly of the Synod on Synodality caused some interesting responses. First, I was informed by an authoritative source that […]
[…] Mi reciente ensayo sobre la aparente falta de diáconos en la próxima Asamblea del Sínodo sobre la Si… provocó algunas respuestas interesantes. Primero, una fuente autorizada me informó que los «diáconos» serían parte de la Asamblea, solo que ninguno de América del Norte. Sin embargo, en los días siguientes, parece que solo un diácono (de Europa) ha sido identificado como participante. Esto se descubrió solo porque se presentó y se identificó. La lista oficial de participantes identificó a otros clérigos como presbíteros u obispos; el diácono simplemente figuraba en la lista sin ninguna indicación de que fuera diácono. También debe mencionarse que más de la mitad de los 50.000 diáconos del mundo viven y ministran en América del Norte. No incluir algún tipo de participación de diáconos de todas las regiones sinodales continentales, incluida la participación de América del Norte, es una oportunidad perdida. […]
Sadly this is not surprising. I have been to many events where prayers are offered for the Bishops, Priests, Religious, and Laity. I am always amazed that there is a lack of understanding that Religious are indeed laity and that deacons, who are clergy are left out entirely. Here in the U.S., we serve a vital and important role in the Church and most importantly in service to the people of God. I believe most of us take seriously our position as the Icon of Christ the Servant. To not have a voice in a Synod which was intended to “listen” to all factions of the Church is quite unbelievable.
[…] my previous essays on this topic (Part One here, Part Two here, Part Three here), I have referenced the various Worksheets included with the […]
Like the Levitical priest rejected Jesus, so many the modern time priests reject deacons. Why? Because most deacons like Christ reflect the truth and are not afraid to stand for it.