Becoming Less to Serve More

On the threshold of the diaconate, asking for your prayers

In just a few days—on Saturday 5th of July—I will, by the grace of God and the prayer of the Church, be ordained a deacon. It feels at once momentous and surprisingly quiet. Deacons, after all, are often a “forgotten ministry,” and perhaps that is as it should be in a certain sense.

The ancient words of the Leonine Sacramentary (7th century) beautifully capture what the Church asks for deacons at their ordination:

Send upon them, Lord, we beseech you, the Holy Spirit, by whom, faithfully accomplishing the work of ministry, they may be strengthened with the gift of your sevenfold grace. May the pattern of every virtue abound in them: discreet authority, unfailing modesty, purity of innocence, and the observance of spiritual discipline.

“Discreet authority” and “unfailing modesty” — quite the countercultural goals. The world tends to reward loud self-promotion; the deacon is quietly ordained to serve, to proclaim the Gospel, to assist at the altar, and to bring Christ to the margins without drawing much attention to himself.

In the West, the diaconate largely vanished as a permanent state for centuries, becoming just a brief stop before the priesthood. But thanks to the Second Vatican Council, it has been restored also as a lifelong ministry for many. Permanent deacons now enrich the Church by living out this call in the heart of their families and workplaces.

Meanwhile, for me, the diaconate will be a transitional step toward priesthood—but not a mere formality. It is its proper sacramental grace and mission, shaping me to preach the Word, serve at the altar and live a life as an ordained minister that will prepare me for the gift of the ministerial priesthood.

I find encouragement in the witness of holy deacons, past and present: St. Stephen and St. Lawrence, who gave their lives joyfully; St. Francis of Assisi, who always remained a humble joyful deacon; and countless deacons today who serve quietly and faithfully. May they pray for us all!

So here comes the crucial part: would you please pray for me? That I might grow in discreet authority, unfailing modesty and become a cheerful servant of Christ’s Church.

Thank you for accompanying me on this path and may you receive God’s blessing according to the words of the deacon St. Francis:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you and have mercy on you.
May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace.
May the Lord bless you.

Picture: Fra Angelico, St Lawrence Distributing Alms (ca. 1450) from Wikimedia Commons