Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate, St. John's Port Glasgow

Today is a first for the Diocese of |Paisley. Usually when men are ordained deacon, they are ordained to what has come to be called the transient diaconate, because they will exercise their diaconate for about a year on the way to being be ordained to the ministerial priesthood. All candidates for the priesthood must be ordained deacon on their way to the priesthood. For them, the diaconate is a passing or transient ministry.

But today, these men, Graham Kelly and John Morrison, will be ordained to what is called the Permanent Diaconate. The Permanent Diaconate, a feature in ancient times of the Church’s threefold ordained ministry of bishop, presbyter (priest) and deacon, was restored by the Second Vatican Council. Local Churches could then decide if and when to re-introduce the Permanent Diaconate. Very often men ordained to the Permanent Diaconate are already married. If they are not married, they may not marry once they are ordained.

The teaching of the Church explains that deacons receive the imposition of hands “not for priesthood, but for service”. Availability for service is the keynote of the diaconal ministry, and this brings with it a number of liturgical and pastoral tasks with which the deacon may be entrusted by the bishop or by the pastor of the community to which the deacon is sent.

My predecessor, Bishop John, took the decision to introduce the Permanent Diaconate to the Diocese of Paisley, and today I have the honour and joy of ordaining these first two ordinands, Graham and John, married men both of them, who will serve the Diocese of Paisley as Permanent Deacons. May the Lord bless them richly for their sacred ministry.