The office of deacon originates from the earliest days of the Church. As noted in Acts chapter 6:1-6 in the calling of the first deacons of the Church:
At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.
The title deacon comes from the Greek diakonia, meaning “service.” A Catholic deacon is an ordained member of the clergy, along with priests and bishops. A deacon is configured sacramentally to Christ the Servant for the People of God.
The first step in formally discerning the call to become a deacon is to contact your parish pastor or the local diocesan office of the diaconate.
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