A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came "to serve and not to be served." For many years all ordained deacons "ascended" to the priesthood. The Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965) authorized the restoration of the permanent diaconate as an order of ministry.
While seminarians in formation for the priesthood are still ordained deacons prior to their ordination as priests, a recent study by the Georgetown University Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) found the number of permanent deacons in has grown steadily since the restoration of this ministry. According to the Official Catholic Directory, in 2020 (the most recent year available), there were 18,075 permanent deacons in the United States. More than 90 men serve as permanent deacons in the Diocese of Raleigh.
There is no difference in the sacramental sign or the functions between "transitional" and "permanent deacons."
As ministers of Word, deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church.
As ministers of Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services
As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church's resources to meet those needs.
These characteristics are summed up in the admonition given to ordained deacons by the bishop when they receive the Book of the Gospels during the ordination rite:
Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become.
Believe what you read,
teach what you believe,
and practice what you teach.
These words are also at the heart of all ordained ministry in the Church.
No matter what specific functions a deacon performs, they flow from his sacramental identity. In other words, it is not only WHAT a deacon does, but WHO a deacon is, that is important.
As Bishop Luis said to those ordained at the most recent Permanent Diaconate Ordination, “You are here because God set you apart; he looked at you and said, ‘I’d like to set you apart, for one purpose, to serve my people.”
As he further explained in his homily. “We were thinking 2020 would be the perfect year. It looks like it’s not, but it is, for you. What is the right moment, how can you know? It is exactly this moment that the Lord is giving to you to show you that in the middle of everything one thing is important, and that is to serve, with love.”
Please take a moment to learn more about each of the permanent deacons assigned to ministry in the Diocese of Raleigh.
Article references / for more information:
Office of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Raleigh
Frequently Asked Questions About Deacons
Catholic Deacons’ Formation in the United States: Statistical Overview (PDF)