Prior to appearing in the print edition, my humble contribution to America magazine's ministry issue, which has a focus on the permanent diaconate, is available on-line, along with the contributions of my brother deacons, Dr. Bill Ditewig and Greg Kandra. My participation in this issue is the result of both men: Deacon Greg suggested me as a possibility and Deacon Ditewig's numerous and insightful writings on the permanent diaconate have helped inform me as I continue to work on my Integrated Pastoral Research project on developing the ecclesial identity of the permanent deacon in light of the twin realities of priesthood and lay ecclesial ministry.
I cannot fail to mention the friendship, personal mentoring, and scholarship of Deacon Owen Cummings, whose encouragement after reading a first and very rough draft of the article helped me to realize that I could do this. Along with Dr. Ditewig, Owen has labored hard as both a deacon and a theologian to lay a solid foundation for a sound and progressive theology of the permanent diaconate. While I have been informed by the writings of many, Deacon Cummings has been instrumental in my formation over many years. There is another Greg to whom I owe a debt of gratitude, Dr. Greg Sobolewski, who is a brilliant theologian, master teacher, mentor, and friend. The genesis of this article was a lengthy ecclesiology paper, written for a class I took from him: Vatican II’s Restoration of the Permanent Diaconate: ressourcement and aggiornamento.
Dr. Ditewig's article touches on an area that needs a lot of clarification, the relation of matrimony and holy orders in the life and ministry of the permanent deacon- Married and Ordained: The ministry of deacons. Deacon Kandra's contribution is entitled A Deacon’s Lessons: Seven things they don't teach you in formation. I am guessing that space limited him to only seven things! Finally, there is my brief outline of the restoration of permanent diaconate thus far: Looking Back and Ahead: The theology behind the permanent diaconate.
Blogito ergo sum! Actually, as N.T. Wright averred, "'Amor, ergo sum:' I am loved, therefore I am." Among other things, I am a Roman Catholic deacon. This is a public cyberspace in which I seek to foster Christian discipleship in the late modern milieu in the diakonia of koinonia and in the recognition that "the Eucharist is the only place of resistance to annihilation of the human subject."
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