Minutes

Meeting of the Advisors to the Bishops Committee on the Diaconate

November 13, 2005 / Washington, DC

Opening Prayer

Update from the Secretariat (Deacon Ditewig)

1.  Dispensations

According to canon law ordination is an impediment to marriage.  Prior to 1997 in the Latin Church three conditions were required for a dispensation from the law in the case of a deacon widowed after ordination who was seeking to marry again:

(1) a ministry of special significance (as determined by his bishop) to the diocese;

(2) children of a tender age (not restricted to “minors”;

(3) elderly parents or parents-in-law. 

All three conditions had to be met at the same time. 

In 1997 a circular letter was received from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments communicating that the Holy Father had decided that any one of the three conditions taken singly would be sufficient for the dispensation.  In the summer of 2005 the Congregation informed diocesan bishops that these requirements had been modified. 

Once again, three conditions would have to be met concurrently.  Specifically, these three conditions were that:

(1) a ministry of special significance to the diocese;

(2) the petition from the widowed deacon must receive a formal attestation from the diocesan bishop;

(3) that there be minor-aged children in the deacon’s family. 

It is anticipated that dispensations from the impediment of orders will be extremely rare.  One of the principle concerns of the Holy See is that remarriage after ordination has not been the traditional practice in the Latin Church or the Eastern Churches.  As the Church seeks unity with the Orthodox Churches, there is concern that this practice is problematic.

2.   National Directory

The Directory in now on its second printing.  The Spanish translation is on hold because the proposed translation is not technically close enough.  It will be reviewed again in January and hopefully published in March or April.  It will be promulgated on CD and on the Diaconate website (www.usccb.org/deacon).  Recognitio from the Holy See was received for a period of five years, so now is the time to begin reflecting on improvements needed in the document.  There may be an option to request an extension of the recognitio for another five years.

3.   National Directors Survey

Periodic statistical surveys are a part of the charter of the secretariat.  They were originally conducted annually by mailed surveys to all dioceses.  It then went to every three years when the numbers became too much for the secretarial staff to handle.  A grant from the Knights of Columbus to the Secretariat has enabled us to contract with the Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate (CARA) to conduct an annual survey and report annually again, beginning this year.  Some interesting initial statistics include:

Average age at ordination: 

1970’s                46     

1980’s                49

1990’s                53

Average age of deacon in US:  61 (41 in Europe)

A possible explanation for why the average age is getting higher is that younger enquirers are being turned away.  Some bishops think that they are protecting family life by discouraging young candidates. 

Deacon Alonzo suggested that part of the problem may the difficulty with extending the length of time for formation.  Deacon Perryman suggested that there is a different attitude toward, on the one hand, a fulltime clerical worker and, on the other hand, a deacon in the world/market place.  Deacon McBlain said that because of the Directory there has been a shift toward analysis of individual readiness. 

Further discussion: joining lay and diaconal formation programs benefits overlapping programs.  30% of deacons report working fulltime for the Church for pay.  30% report working in the marketplace.  This creates a whole host of problems, especially insurance for deacons. 

Deacon Ditewig remarked that the Second Vatican Council stressed younger deacons (by lowering the proposed age for ordaining married candidates from 40 to 35), and that the challenge is in how we design our formation programs.  In Europe, for example, younger candidates are encouraged because child care and children’s activities are provided as part of the formation experience so that children may be with their parents.

4.  Priorities and Plans

The Priorities and Plans Committee, in response to financial concerns at the USCCB, will be reviewing each line of the BCD priorities and plans.  This process is continuing as the bishops refine their own vision, mission, goals and objectives for the Conference.

5.  Pontifical College Josephinum

The Pontifical College Josephinum is initiating a number of projects to become a national resource center for research on the diaconate.  This includes a several initiatives with the USCCB as well as NADD and NDICE.    

Organizational Updates

1.   NAAPAD

There will be a June 2006 General Meeting at the same time as the USCCB General Session.  A formal invitation is extended to Bishop Campbell.  50 Vietnamese deacons are currently planning to establish their own organization under the NAAPAD as an umbrella organization. 

2.   NADD

This will be Deacon Peterson’s final meeting as President.  NADD has formalized a letter of understanding with the Pontifical College Josephinum to establish a national directors’ institute. It is also an opportunity for national organizations to work together.  The NOCERCC manual for priestly formation directors will be imitated in the development of a manual for deacon formation directors. 

Katrina and Rita deacon victims are out of work.  NADD has raised $27,000 in aid to these hurricane victims. 

NADD believes that the diaconate needs the support of high quality literature.  It has renewed its efforts to provide scholarly books and articles on the diaconate.  

NADD is undergoing structural changes.  The aim is to clarify in the Constitution that (1) the organization’s work is to be done under the model of Christ (2) and in support of the bishops.

3.   NADO

NADO is looking at how to be more of a service to dioceses, diaconal communities, and bishops.  NADO is looking to work with NDICE in the future.

 4.  NDICE

NDICE is focusing down to road on ways to create continuity between national organizations.  The Josephinum would like NDICE to hold a national conference on their campus.  It could be structured to serve specific needs such as alleviating some of the cost for ethnic groups.  It would be the organization’s desire to collaborate with Hispanic, African American, Asian Pacific and other diverse organizations to gain more awareness of these kinds of needs.  The first conference theme will be “The Deacon as Servant Leader: Theology and Practice.”   

 5.  NAAACD

Vocations in the African American community are low.  Many young people are attracted to Protestant ministries.  NAAACD sees a need to interact more with the wider diaconal community. 

The New Head of the Black Catholic Clergy Conference, for the first time in 30 years, is a deacon.  The attitude toward young vocations is in need of change.  Too many young people are being lost to Protestant Churches.  Fostering younger diaconal vocations is a way to keep them involved in the life of the Church.  

There should be a universal calendar listing the activities of the various national diaconal organizations so that there can be greater association between them. 

6.   NAHD

NAHD faces many challenges including financial resources and leadership.  It is not possible at this time to reach all of the Hispanic deacons in the United States.  There are currently only 250 members.  There is not even a list of the Hispanic deacons in the US.  The number of deacons who could take on leadership roles in the organization is shrinking.