Diaconate congress to focus on 50 years of ministry

By Peter Finney Jr., Clarion Herald

The 18,000 permanent deacons in the United States exercise a ministry of presence, bringing the healing and hope-filled message of Jesus Christ to people they encounter daily in their parishes, other ministries and workplaces.

This week in New Orleans, that diaconal ministry of presence will be front and center.

About 2,800 people – including 1,300 permanent deacons, along with their wives and children – will attend the 2018 National Diaconate Congress July 22-26, an event so big it will require three Canal Street hotels and 5,000 room nights to accommodate the attendees.

Golden anniversary meeting

The congress will mark the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the permanent diaconate in 1968.

The theme of the congress, held only three times since its inaugural congress in New Orleans in 1994, is “Christ the Servant: Yesterday, Today Forever.”

“Honestly, with 18,000 deacons across the United States, we thought if we could get 5 percent (900) we could make it work,” said Deacon Ray Duplechain, executive director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of New Orleans and chair of the National Association of Diaconate Directors. “This is certainly a chance for us to hear what the church and the bishops have to say about the diaconate, and we will be listening intently to both the affirmation and the challenges.”

The congress will hear from several high-profile U.S. bishops, including Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio to the United States. Also making major addresses will be Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin; New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond; Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila and retired Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas.

Other speakers will be Columbus Bishop Frederick Campbell; Jefferson City Bishop W. Shawn McKnight; Deacon Dom Pastore (along with his wife Teresa Tameo Pastore) of Detroit; Deacon William Ditewig, former executive director of the bishops’ Committee on the Diaconate; Deacon James Keating of the Institute for Priestly Foundation at Creighton University; and Deacon Greg Kandra of Brooklyn, author of “The Deacon’s Bench” blog.

In addition to the major addresses, there will be more than 30 workshops over the three days on various aspects of diaconal ministry, most presented by deacons.

Major study to be released

Deacon Duplechain said he expects a major study of the diaconate to be released during the conference by CARA (the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate), which would be the first update since research was done in 1981 and 1996. The study is based on surveys of deacon directors and active deacons across the U.S., Deacon Duplechain said.

In addition to hosting the first congress in 1994, the archdiocese has had strong ties to the National Association of Diaconate Directors because of the work of the late Deacon Jim Swiler, the long-time diaconate director in New Orleans and the first deacon to serve as chair of the national group, Deacon Duplechain said.

“Deacon Swiler was one of the pioneer directors,” Deacon Duplechain said. “He was one of the first permanent deacons to direct a permanent diaconate office in the U.S., and he was the first permanent deacon to serve as chairman of the national association. He was a deacon’s deacon.”

The gathering is so large that daily Mass will be celebrated at the New Orleans Marriott on Canal Street because St. Louis Cathedral can seat only about 900.

Deacon Duplechain said he was excited to learn more about why the church teaches the sacraments of matrimony and holy orders are considered the only two sacraments “at the service of Communion,” enabling individuals to direct their lives in a sacramental way for the salvation of others, building up the body of Christ and themselves being saved in the process.

“What I hope to see is the deep commitment of men and women in the sacrament of matrimony and the connection of that to the order of deacons,” Deacon Duplechain said. “The diaconate is a restored reality in the church, and it has provided much fruit in terms of service to the church.”

There are about 30,000 permanent deacons worldwide.

Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at [email protected].