Re: Deacons and the celebration of the Mass

Question from Edward DeMauro on 9/29/2007: Father, I am a 23 yr old student, and my father's been a deacon since I was 10 years old, and has been careful to act in a manner strictly adhering to Rome's decrees. I just read a question about the roll of the deacon, and wanted to add some things (I am not an expert on the subject, so I hope I am not saying anything contrary to Vatican II). A Deacon may be married ONLY if he was already married before ordination. I think that you can have a dispensation for a widowed deacon to remarry, but I don't believe it's encouraged. A deacon may wear the clerical clothing of a priest, but many bishops allow deacons, like my father to dress casually. The deacon's vestments include the stole worn from shoulder to hip, cinture, dalmatic, and alb. In the Extraordinary form, he can wear a maniple and biretta. A deacon's functions are to be like the master of ceremonies, and as Acts describes (St. Stephan, one of the 7 first deacons) they basically work on the instruction of the people while the priest tends to the sacrifice of the Mass. Deacons even in the Extraordinary form read the gospel, and they are entitled to the homily, after a brief prayer said during Mass where the priest bestows a blessing. Sites like New Advent (www.newadvent.org). A deacon is mainly "in charge" of the chalice, my father always said "ordinary minister of the Blood", although I can't say if that's the proper way of wording it. He is entitled to purify, and can perform the sacraments of Marriage (outside of Mass), Baptism, and grave-side prayers. He may NOT consacrate or hear confessions. His loyalty is first to the Bishop. In the Extraordinary form, he might order the faithful to genuflect before a prayer (flectamus). He may say such parts as the "Ite, missa est," and is to read things like the petitions. During the consacration, he should be kneeling after the epiclesis, but many diocese in the US don't do that. Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 10/1/2007: Edward, I presume you are fully aware of the details of the deacon's services during the liturgy ( I am not) and I post your fine post in this spirit. Fr. Bob levis