On the occasion of the feast of St Lawrence, Cardinal Hummes, Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, has written a letter to Permanent Deacons, and English translation of which can be found here, at the ZENIT website.
I was particularly interested by Cardinal Hummes opening remark about the way in which Bishops on ad limina visits to Rome often comment on the permanent diaconate, and see great hope in it. In this country I do not feel that the potential of the permanent diaconate has been fully developed - it has, in my very limited immediate experience, tended to be seen a bit as a "retirement ministry" and as a "helping in the parish" role, rather than being a role in which the deacon gains a ministry "in his own right". I know there are some counter-examples to this impression. What strikes me is that roles such as port chaplaincy and hospital chaplaincy have a clearly diaconal character, though of course they do both need to be exercised in close collaboration with priests. Another interesting thought is the role that a permanent deacon might exercise in one or other of the new movements, being for them an expression of ecclesial communion, of the unity of charism and institution in the Church.
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Would it be that the permanent Deacon doesn't feel fully accepted by the priest and the priest is wary of what he wants the Deacon to do?
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