The Vision of a Ministering Church, part IV

 

Bishop Howard J. Hubbard’s article, The Vision of a Ministering Church: Personal observations and reflections on the Nature of the Diaconate and Ministry in the Church

 

A Commentary

Deacon  Anthony  P. Cassaneto,  Ph.D.,  Ed.D.

 

In the 2011 Pastoral Letter, The Deacon: Icon of Jesus Christ the Servant, Bishop Alexander K. Sample, Bishop of Marquette, stated in the Preface, “there have been some misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the essential identity of the permanent deacon that have led to some confusion regarding his ministerial role in the life and mission of the Church.” 

 

As a result of these misunderstandings, a Diaconate Committee was formed in the Marquette diocese to address (1) the essential identity of the [permanent] deacon in the life of the universal Church; and (2) the essential role of the [permanent] deacon within the diocese. 

 

The Identity crisis and the lack of understanding regarding the ministerial role of the deacon by the clergy and the laity were identified in the two National Studies conducted on the Diaconate in 1981 and 1994.  Despite the fact that these issues were known and debated for many years, some in the Church continued to question why do we need deacons?  What does the deacon do that is different?  Recall that the Church was at the same time empowering the role and ministry of the laity, Christifidelis Laici. As a result,  the identity and role of the permanent deacon remained unclear despite the many books that had been written on the diaconate since its restoration.

 

I do believe that Bishop Hubbard’s Vision of a Ministering Church lays out for those in ministry and for the clergy and the laity a clear understanding of what must be present in the vocation call of the deacon.  Bishop Hubbard identifies the deacon and his ministerial role in his three principles, namely, that the deacon must be the servant-healer who sees his vocation as an authentic ministry of service.  What is most important is that the deacon applies his talents and gifts to every person who is made in the image of God and has a dignity that is unique, sacred, and inviolable.  These understandings clearly help to identify the deacon and his role and ministry in the Church.   

 

Permit me to expand a bit more on the second major principle that underlies the ministry of a deacon, namely, that the deacon’s vocation is an authentic ministry of service.  This principle lays the foundation for a clear understanding of the identity of the deacon. When the deacon has a positive attitudinal disposition to service, then it is possible to identify him outside of the liturgical realm as a servant committed to serving the needs of others.  In fact, his positive attitudinal disposition helps to reinforce his spiritual attitude.   

 

Walter Cardinal Kasper in his book, Leadership in the Church: How traditional roles can serve the Christian community today, comments:

 

The renewal of the diaconate is first of all a spiritual task.  The basic spiritual attitude of the deacon must make it clear that the Christian

path is not an ascent or a triumphal march in glory, but a path

that looks downward, following Jesus Christ, who descended

from heaven.  This “downwardly mobile career” is described in

the Christological hymn in the Letter to the Philippians

(2:6-11), which prescribes the basic Christian virtue, as the

spiritual tradition teaches, namely, the attitude of humility,

which is a willingness to serve.  This must a fortiori be

the basic attitude of the deacon (p. 39).

 

The third and final principle that Bishop Hubbard stipulates is the deacon’s mission and ministry is focused on the Human Person who has been created by God with a dignity that is unique, sacred, and inviolate.  The defense of human dignity has been the preeminent and perennial task of the Church in its teaching and social witness over the centuries.

 

From what has been said thus far, it is clear that deacons must become part of a “person-centered” tradition that extends from St. James’ exposition to the early Christian community on the nature of selfless love to contemporaries like St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Dorothy Day, Adolfo Perez Esquivel (recipient of the Noble Peace Prize) “who have made a vocation of demonstrating the congruence of catholic belief with service to the poor, oppressed, and spiritual hungry.   

 

 

 

Father Timothy J. Shugrue is his document entitled, “Service Ministry of the Deacon” (BCPD, 1988) stated,

 

          The deacon is expected to be an agent of service, one who

          Is personally and directly involved in satisfying the

          immediate and real needs of people.  The entire range of

          Corporal works of mercy should be integral to a deacon’s

          Repertory as a minister of the Church…It should be public

and identifiable, without violating either the dignity of the

one(s) being served or the humility of simply fulfilling

a duty of ordained ministry  (p.41).

 

In my discussion of Bishop Hubbard’s first principle, “the diaconate is an extension of the mission of Jesus, the Servant-Healer” I mentioned that deacons should develop an affective maturity, namely, to embrace agape (selfless love) which should become the driving force of one’s ministry.  The minister appreciates the importance of love in his or her own life and struggles against his or her own sense of selfishness.  St. John Paul II’s in Redemptor hominis stated,

 

          One cannot live without love.  He or she remains a being that is

          Incomprehensible for himself or herself, his or her life is senseless,

          If love is not revealed to him or her, if he or she does not encounter

          Love, if he or she does not experience it and make it their own, if

          One does not participate intimately in it (§ 80). 

 

Richard P. McBrien in his book, Ministry: A theological, Pastoral Handbook (1987) poses this question: “Is it really too much to expect that those who present themselves for the service of the Church should be people of virtue?”  He defines virtue literally as a “power” (from the Latin word, virtus). “It is a power to realize some moral good and to do it joyfully and with perseverance in spite of obstacles.” (pp. 55-56). 

 

In his analysis of ministry, McBrien treats the qualities and spirituality of the minister according to Bishop Peter A. Rosazza, auxiliary bishop of Hartford.  Among the qualities that a minister of the church must have are the theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity (love)) which form one of the four criteria that constitute what is meant by Christian holiness.  “Every minister must be an example of it.  The more public the ministry and the greater its responsibility for the life and mission of the church, the greater the call to Christian holiness” (p. 54).

 

Here are some of McBrien’s thoughts on the theological virtue of charity (love).  He stated that “charity enables us to participate in the life of God who is Love (1 John 4: 8, 16)….Love is possible only for personally mature people, namely, those who can accept themselves and others for who and what they are. Jesus reminded us that we cannot really love our neighbor unless we first can love ourselves”  (p. 59).

 

Further, according to McBrien, every minister of the Church, regardless of the ministry he or she exercises or aspires to exercise, must be a loving person, ready at all times to sacrifice his or her individual interests to the needs of  others” (pp. 50-60). 

 

This last of these three principles espoused by Bishop Hubbard implies that deacons are to be living instruments of the Lord’s healing and liberating love in a Church and society that is in desperate need. 

 

Likewise, they are called to be servant-leaders in the church and society.  Walter Cardinal Kasper in his book, Leadership in the Church: How traditional roles can serve the Christian community today (2003) states:

 

          The church is alive where the corporal works of mercy are

          performed: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty,

          clothing the naked, etc…The church is likewise alive  

          where the spiritual works of mercy are performed: correcting

          sinners, teaching the ignorant, giving good counsel to those

          in doubt, praying for the living and the dead (p.27).

 

          Diaconia is an essential and foundational dimensions of

          the church and a central aspect of the bishop’s mission.

          The bishop commissions deacons to perform this task

          and gives them a share in his own office; in this way

          they represent Jesus Christ, the good shepherd and deacon.

          Their diaconal ministry should inspire and enkindle

          others, encouraging them and strengthening them so

          that they too will imitate Jesus by serving their brothers

          and sisters, by sharing with them and helping them

          through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, thus’

          building up the community of Jesus Christ and realizing

          Its unity in their lives. 

 

          The ecclesiology of communion makes the ministry of

          the permanent deacon a necessity.  He represents Jesus

          Christ, for he too is the good shepherd who goes in

          search of the strayed sheep, takes it on his shoulders,

          and brings it back to the flock—and is willing to lay down

          his own life in the attempt (p. 31).

         

          The goal of diaconal activity is…not simply help, but

          the empowering of life, so that those who lie

          prostrate may get to their feet…In some situations,

          the deacon can and must become the public advocate

          of the weak and powerless and of all those who have

          no other voice…(p. 40).

 

          Spiritually motivated, well-trained deacons employed

          in meaningful tasks are a necessity for the church

          today.  They are neither substitutes for a parish

          Priest  nor social workers.  They represent the

          deacon Jesus Christ ..bringing into our world the

          love of God which the Holy Spirit has poured out

          Into our hearts (Romans 5:5).  They are pioneers

          of a new “civilization of love.”  They are a blessing

          for the church and for the people entrusted to us (p. 44). 

 

According to His Excellency, Bishop Hubbard, “what is basic and essential to deacons’ leadership role is (1) that they strive to share that which is best within themselves; and (2) they share their own lives and vision of faith with those whom they are privileged to serve, and in doing so, they inspire others to discern their own gifts of mind and heart and make their own commitment to follow the pilgrim journey to God’s Kingdom.”

 

This concludes my presentation on Bishop Hubbard’s three basic principles. I do believe that they help to identify the deacon as well as provide a direction in which the deacon functions as a minister in the Church.  God bless.  I love to hear from you about these principles.

Deacon  Anthony  Cassaneto

Selective Bibliography

 

Brockman, N. (1976).  Ordained to Service: A Theology of the Permanent Diaconate.  Hicksville, NY: Exposition Press.

 

De Grocco, J. (March 22, 2004).  The Ministry of the Deacon.  America, 190 (10), 19-22.

 

Donovan, William, T.  (2000) The Sacrament of Service: Understanding Diaconal Spirituality.  Alt  Publication: Green Bay, Wisconsin.

 

Hubbard, H., H. (1985).  The Vision of a Ministering Church.  In Bishops’ Committee on the Permanent Diaconate (Ed.), Diaconal Reader  

(pp. 76-92).  Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference.

 

Kasper, W. (2003).  Leadership in the Church: How traditional roles can serve the Christian community today.  New York: A Herder and Herder Book – The Crossroad Publishing Company.

 

McBrien, R. P. (1987).  Ministry: A Theological, Pastoral Handbook.  San Francisco: Harper & Row.

 

Shugrue, T., J. (1988).  Service Ministry of the Deacon.  Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference.