A vision of the permanent diaconate

Diakonia has posted on how he sees his vocation as a permanent deacon. I have to admit to being the one who asked him the question ... but I wouldn't take the first part of the second sentence of his post too seriously (you will have to go and read the post to get that remark!).

The following two extracts are what I found most interesting in Diakonia's post:

Yes, I am allowed to assist with some Sacraments (i.e Marriages, Baptisms, Funerals) and assist at Mass and preach homilies, but my main ministry is meant to be with the people where they live, in their homes, their work, their schools, their jails, and their hospitals.....

I have met some deacons that are exactly what I have been discussing, and I have met others who in my opinion have confused their roles with a priest.

I found this last observation about needing to not confuse the role of the permanent deacon with that of the priest very perceptive. The deacon has a calling that is his own, by virtue of his ordination, and one that is not "dependent" or "delegated" from the priest or bishop. This is a bit like the lay vocation arising from our baptism and being ours by a kind of right, and not by delegation from the clergy. There is an obligation of communion/collaboration, but that is not the same as dependence or being a delegate. Diakonia's post describes this very well.

So perhaps we should look to our permanent deacons to be less priestly and more lay in their character ....