A deacon is ordained by the Archbishop to assist him in ministering to the People of God. Immediately upon ordination, the deacon is assigned to a parish or institutional ministry site.  Since he has been ordained for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, deacons may be reassigned to another parish or another ministerial site as needs arise.

There are currently 167 active and retired deacons serving in numerous parishes, hospitals, hospices, prisons, retirement homes, and charities in our region.

Since its inception in the early Church, the diaconal ministry has focused on the three-fold Ministry of the Word, Liturgy, and Charity & Justice.

Ministry of the Word of God

Through the ministry of the Word of God, deacons teach and provide catechetical instruction and Christian counseling. Deacons can offer spiritual direction and conduct retreats. Most importantly, deacons preach and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ever faithful to the faith as it has been handed down from the apostles. The deacon has the opportunity and responsibility of witnessing to Jesus Christ and His Gospel in the marketplace, in his personal life, and in concrete circumstances throughout the community.

Ministry of the Liturgy

Vatican II teaches that the Eucharistic Liturgy is the source and summit of the Church’s life and activity. The deacon assists at Mass by proclaiming the Gospel, preaching, offering general intercessions, preparing the gifts, and distributing Holy Communion. The deacon administers the sacrament of Baptism and witnesses the sacrament of Matrimony. The deacon may preside at Communion services, the Rite of Christian Burial, Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction, the Celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours (the Divine Office), novenas, prayer services, and other liturgical rites. In addition, the deacon has the ancient duty of bringing Viaticum to the gravely ill.

Ministry of Charity and Justice

The deacon is the animator and promoter of the community’s active love. The deacon must bring Christ’s healing power to the needy, whether that need is physical, emotional, economic, or spiritual. The deacon must present Christ’s power in the Church and in the marketplace.