Archbishop Vlazny on "The blessing of diaconal ministry"

Deacon Greg, author of The Deacon's Bench, posts something really encouraging, a column by the archbishop of Portland, Oregon, John Vlazny (formerly bishop of the Diocese of Winona, Minnesota), in his archdiocesan newspaper The Sentinel. His Excellency's article is entitled The blessing of diaconal ministry.

He concludes his column with these words:

"deacons have been a great gift in the Church over the centuries, a gift that was seemingly forgotten for many centuries but now is acknowledged and celebrated throughout the current world, no place more significantly than here in these United States. I thank God for the gift of the deacons who serve us. I ask you to pray for them and for those who are involved in diaconal formation. Their calling comes from the Lord and from the Church. Their generous response involves sacrifice and commitment. As we pray for our priests in this special year, let’s not forget some of their closest collaborators, our good and faithful deacons!"

Speaking of deacons, a lively conversation is going in the combox for Bill Ditewig's article of the permanent diaconate over on America magazine's website. Dr. Ditewig himself is participating. This is a great opportunity to learn about deacons from one of the church's foremost experts on the subject!