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June 10, 2021By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
“On … June 24, 1978, I lay prostrate … in … St. Paul Cathedral … with 19 other men, awaiting to be ordained to the permanent diaconate by then Bishop of Worcester, Bernard J. Flanagan. …
“We were about to make history … by becoming the first group of men ordained permanent deacons in Worcester County. The clerical ministry was about to be changed in the parishes and agencies of the diocese.”
So wrote Deacon William J. Ladroga Jr. in a column printed in The Catholic Free Press 10 years after his ordination.
Last Saturday he participated in the ordination of three permanent deacons, vesting one of them – his son John.
What has changed in those decades? What similarities are there?
“Have we really made a difference?” Deacon William Ladroga asked in his 1988 column.
A press release issued this month by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops makes a case that permanent deacons have made a difference – and that the Church needs more of them.
“As our world continues to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, permanent deacons provide an encouraging witness to the love and mercy of Christ,” says Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “They bring the light and presence of Jesus into many different areas of society – preaching the Gospel in their jobs, within their families, to the poor, and among their broader communities.”
The press release shares the results of a survey, “A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate: A Study for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2020-2021,” that was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University. CARA contacted the 187 dioceses and eparchies that belong to the USCCB and have an active Office of the Permanent Diaconate, and 145 responded. Findings include the following:
The 144 Latin Rite dioceses reported a total of 15,873 permanent deacons, 12,292 of them in active ministry. The eparchy reported 11 permanent deacons, all active. It can be estimated that there are as many as 19,008 permanent deacons, 14,722 of them active, the press release says.
The Worcester Diocese has 117 deacons, 71 active, 42 retired, one unassigned and three on leave of absence, according to Deacon William A. Bilow Jr., director of the Office of the Diaconate.
The national survey says that during 2020, 587 new permanent deacons were ordained, 410 retired from active ministry and 378 died.
“As is the case with priests in the United States, there are not enough new permanent deacons being ordained to make up for the numbers who are retiring from active ministry and dying each year,” the press release notes.
Early on there were questions about even having permanent deacons.
“The great experiment begun by Vatican Council II in restoring the permanent diaconate to the Church on Sept. 29, 1964, was rife with concerns on the part of many,” Deacon Ladroga wrote. “Why ordain predominantly married family men, most with full-time careers, to the clerical state? … What is their purpose?
“Those same questions were also asked by the priests, religious, and laity of the Diocese of Worcester in 1975 before Bishop Flanagan asked Rev. Paul J. Tougas to be the director for the first class of candidates called for ordination in 1978.”
Given their experiences in their families and careers, deacons bring a different perspective in homilies, baptismal and marriage preparation, marriage counseling and youth programs, Deacon Ladroga noted in his column.
The entire CARA report can be accessed at: https://www.usccb.org/resources/diaconate%20post-ordination%20report.pdf
