The Seven , often known as the Seven Deacons, were leaders elected by the early Christian church to minister to the community of believers in Jerusalem, to enable the Apostles to concentrate on 'prayer and the Ministry of the Word' and to address a concern raised by Greek-speaking believers about their widows being ...
15. 1) calls Stephen the first deacon appointed by the apostles. In practice, therefore, the deacons "became the assistants of the bishop in discharging services of love to all the members of the church who were in need".
The name Phoebe means "pure", "radiant", or "bright"; and was the name of a Titan in Greek mythology. Some scholars believe Phoebe was responsible for delivering Paul's epistle to the Roman Christian church. Phoebe is the only woman named as deacon in the Bible.
The only passage that mentions the qualifications for deacons is 1 Timothy 3:8–13. In this passage, Paul gives an official but not exhaustive list of the requirements for deacons. The similarities of the qualifications for deacons and elders/overseers in 1 Timothy 3 are striking.
Our duties include helping members meet their temporal needs, preparing for and giving missionary service, doing family history work and being baptized for the dead, activating young men of quorum age, and learning the gospel. The quorum gives us the opportunity to work together in fulfilling these duties.
While in ancient history their tasks and competencies varied, today deacons cannot hear confession and give absolution, anoint the sick, or celebrate mass.
Married men can be ordained as deacons. Women cannot, though historians say women served as deacons in the early Christian church. In response to women demanding to be given greater roles in the 21st century, Francis established a commission in 2016 to study female deacons in the early Christian church.
In verses 8-10, Paul says, "Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a conscience.
There is no simple answer to the question “Am I called to be a deacon?” However, we believe that the person of faith through personal prayer, competent spiritual direction and recognition that the Church has the obligation to discern if such a vocation is truly present can discover God's will.
Drunkenness, like any sin, is forgivable, but for a deacon involved in the essential work of the church, it is disqualifying. A deacon who is found to be given to drunkenness must be removed from his position.
Diakonissa is a Greek title of honor that is used to refer to a deacon's wife. It is derived from diakonos—the Greek word for deacon (literally, "server").
According to the narrative in Acts, they were identified and selected by the community of believers on the basis of their reputation and wisdom, being 'full of the Holy Spirit', and their appointment was confirmed by the Apostles.
Brian Deacon (born 13 February 1949) is a British actor, known for portraying Jesus in the 1979 film Jesus, which was made by the evangelical organization the Jesus Film Project. Deacon was chosen for the part out of a field of 900 actors screen tested by producer John Heyman.
Philip the Deacon was one of the first seven deacons appointed by the twelve Apostles in the book of Acts. Philip is also known as "Philip the Evangelist," due to his prodigious preaching career in Jerusalem. After Stephen's martyrdom, the deacons spread out from Jerusalem throughout Palestine.
The deacons were essential for the establishment and growth of the Christian Religion; since there were not enough priests, they supported the assistance work. During the first centuries of Christianity, they were essential figures. They helped assist the sick and the poor in administrative and legal work.
The Spiritual Gift of Service
The Greek word for deacon is “diakonos” and the word used for the gift of service is “diakonia”, a form of the same word.
The Deacon is a Servant-Disciple First
And the quality of their service as baptized members is part of the Church's discernment of their vocation. It is noteworthy that among all Catholic rites and churches, the first vestment a deacon wears is a type of baptismal garment (for example, an alb).
In the Catholic Church, a bishop, priest, or deacon may be dismissed from the clerical state as a penalty for certain grave offences, or by a papal decree granted for grave reasons. This may be because of a serious criminal conviction, heresy, or similar matter.
deacon, (from Greek diakonos, “helper”), a member of the lowest rank of the threefold Christian ministry (below the presbyter-priest and bishop) or, in various Protestant churches, a lay official, usually ordained, who shares in the ministry and sometimes in the governance of a congregation.
A deacon is an official servant recognized by the church to help the pastors protect and prioritize the church's mission by meeting tangible needs. They also help preserve and promote the church's unity.
Deacons can baptize, witness marriages, perform funeral and burial services (outside of Mass), distribute holy Communion and preach a homily. They cannot celebrate Mass, hear confessions or administer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. They are obligated each day to pray the Liturgy of the Hours.
The Church is pretty clear on this: a married deacon promises not to remarry if his wife dies before him. There are rare exceptions that can be made—notably, if the deacon has young children or if he has to care for an aging parent and needs help.
It is expressed in the Code of Canon Law (1983), which says that those in sacred orders cannot validly marry (c1087). In other words, there is a canonical impediment to marriage for bishops, priests and deacons. A deacon married before his ordination may not marry again in the event of his wife's death.
Priest. After graduating from being a Deacon, individuals become priests. To become a priest, one must undertake the Rite of Ordination. This ordains them into the priesthood.