Praying for deacons
In The Pope Video for May 2020, Pope Francis invites us to pray that all deacons, faithful in their service to the Word and the poor, may be an invigorating symbol for the entire Church. He says, “They are the guardians of service in the Church”.
The ecclesiastical ministry, which is the ministry of men dedicated to God’s service, includes three degrees of the sacrament of Orders: bishops, priests, and deacons. “Deacons share in Christ’s mission and grace in a special way. The sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint (“character”) which cannot be removed and which configures them to Christ, who made himself the ‘deacon’ or servant of all.” They are ordained ministers and a sign, in the heart of the Church, of Christ the Servant. In fact, the Greek word diakonía means service, and this is the spirit that defines their function: they help through the service to the Word, service of the liturgy, and service to the poorest and most disadvantaged. In the Pope’s words, “They are dedicated to the service of the poor, who carry within them the face of the suffering Christ.”
Dermot McCarthy, deacon of the archdiocese of Dublin, reflects on the Pope’s intention in Living Prayer 2020. He says: “Deacons provide a human link between the laity and those called to ordained ministry. Faithful service provides an opportunity to recall for the whole Christian community, lay and clerical, the example of the Master who washed the feet of his disciples. Witnessing to the love of God at work in the world through acts of humble service, challenges prevailing norms of accumulation and instant gratification. Deacons in their life of clerical discipline without power or authority may also be a support to those committed to ordained ministry without clericalism.”
Click on the link above to watch the video. See The Pope Video website for more information.
Praying the rosary
Pope Francis also invites us to pray the Holy Rosary during May, the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to help us overcome the Covid-19 crisis. See the website Click To Pray which includes videos and audios to help pray the rosary.
