By Deacon Richard Cerson of the Southend Mission.
“For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” (Mark 10:45)
When I reflect on my journey towards being a Deacon, I get a sense of an inner desire to serve others. Even as a young child, I remember wanting to help in school and around the classroom I also remember proudly being made a prefect in my primary school which, being a Church school, had an emphasis on helping others. This call to serve developed in adult life and I have always felt called to volunteer in the service of others whether this be through visiting, charitable work and, in no means last, by raising a family.
Being ordained as a Catholic deacon has meant that this call to serve (common to all the baptised) becomes recognised and becomes present as he represents Christ the servant at the altar. Under the authority of their bishop, deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the Church.
Ordination confers on them important functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and the service of charity. The title of deacon comes from the Greek word diakonia which means service.
Of course, deacons are not just deacons on a Sunday morning, or whenever they come to the altar or the ambo: they are also deacons throughout the week, yes in the church and the worshipping community they are part of. They are also deacons in their place of work (in my case as a school chaplain) and also, and importantly, in the family.
Being a school chaplain opens up a variety of ways that the ministry of service can be lived and carried out: Leading the school in its charitable giving; promoting the spiritual and corporal works of mercy; to be a listening and open-hearted ear to those in need of spiritual comfort at times of need. To lead collective worship and inspire young people and staff to be prayerful. It is indeed an honour and a joy to serve both the people of God and Holy Mother Church in such a wonderful way.
Deacons come in all shapes and sizes, backgrounds, circumstances; indeed their ministry will differ dependent on their context, but the command to serve parish, community and family is a common bond and one that binds us as a brotherhood as we seek to live out the call to serve Christ and His Church.
