THE ROLE OF THE DEACON
Webmaster • June 16, 2023
Deacons are members of the ‘clergy’ along with ‘priests’ and ‘bishops.’ The deacon’s ministry has three dimensions to it: liturgy, word, and service.
At the liturgy, he assists the bishop and priests - at Mass, the deacon proclaims the Gospel, may be invited to preach the homily, and assists at the altar. The deacon may also baptise, witness, and bless marriages, preside at the Liturgy of the Hours, and preside at funeral liturgies (non-requiem) among many other duties.
Living in the world, deacons have a particular sensitivity to the needs of real families – including single parents, students, older people, those with disabilities, the incarcerated and those who suffer from poverty or addictions of many kinds.
All Christians are called, but the deacon serves with a special grace – a unique authority and humble power. He is responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. He is sent by the Church to be the presence of Christ to those in need.
On Thursday 29th June at our 19.30 evening Holy Day Mass for St Peter and St Paul, Bishop Richard will be coming to Cobham to ordain Paul Fisher to the Permanent Diaconate. All parishioners are warmly invited to come along to join in prayer at this important moment in the life and development of our Parish. A reception will follow afterwards in the Parish Centre.
Today’s Gospel reading emphasizes that Jesus is the ultimate good shepherd. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” We might wonder how we can recognize Jesus’ voice as humans living in the 21st century, not sheep following a shepherd in the first century. It begins by trusting that the shepherd wants what is best for the sheep. Do we believe that God wants what is best for us? Because he does. Jesus also said, “I have come that they may have life in abundance.” God wants us to have joy, freedom, fulfilment, and love, not deprivation, emptiness, and loneliness. If we have internalized the latter message, we have been tricked into following a shepherd who is not interested in our care and protection. In that case, the first step is to ask God for a greater trust that he wants us to have life in its fullness, here and now, not just after we die. When we believe that Jesus loves us enough to have our very best interests at heart, we can practice listening for invitations that bring us more energy, excitement, joy, and peace. Maybe a new job offer is particularly invigorating-that is probably Jesus’ voice calling us to follow. Perhaps an invitation from a friend or acquaintance leads us to a sense of greater joy or contentment than what we are currently spending our time on. That could be the voice of Jesus calling us to follow. Maybe an activity or relationship we are engaged in is contributing to depression, anxiety, self-hatred, or substance abuse. In that case, the thought of ending that activity or relationship may give us a glimpse of freedom and relief. If that is the case, perhaps it is the voice of Jesus calling us to leave that behind us. There are many ways Jesus can call to us. If we listen for and follow the invitations that lead to greater life, then we can trust we are following Jesus’ voice. Questions of the week Share about a time when you have followed an invitation that you felt was from Jesus. How did you know the “voice” was from God? Describe a time when you went astray by following another shepherd who didn’t care for you as a good shepherd cares for his sheep. How did you realize you were astray? How did you find your way back to God’s path?
In 1964, Pope Paul VI, launched Vocations Sunday, which we celebrate on the fourth Sunday of Easter, also called Good Shepherd Sunday. This year it falls today (11th May 2025), which marks the 62nd Anniversary of World Day of Prayer for Vocations. As Catholics and the ‘People of God’ we all know that God is calling us and has a plan for each and every one of us. He called each of us by name through our Baptism to holiness; and he continues to call and cry out to us each day to be his disciples, some to the married life, some to the priesthood, some to religious life or to live as single people. Everybody is called! What is God calling you to? Along with the whole Church, let us pray for vocations today. Let us take time to stir the hearts and minds of the people around us to think about the topic of Vocation. The National Office for Vocation (NOV) invites you to talk and encourage children, young people, grandchildren, students, family members to respond generously to the calling of the Lord. Today’s Retiring Collection is for the Ecclesiastical Education Fund which provides the Bishop with funds to train the future priests of the diocese; please be as generous as possible with your donations.
The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A very busy week indeed around The Presbytery this time around as things begin to ‘hot up’ regarding our Eucharist (15th June) and Confirmation (24 th May) programmes; along with Fr D preparing for this year’s Canon Law Society Conference . . . . . On Bank Holiday Monday Fr D decided that he’d best make a start on newsletters as he had to create two weeks worth. Having celebrated Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday morning Fr D was off down to Crawley to the Tribunal Office. Now that Lent is over he is back to being down there twice a week (normally - Tuesdays and Thursdays). When he came back home in the late afternoon he was getting ready to meet with the parents of this year’s First Eucharist candidates in the evening. Following Morning Prayer, Mass, and Rosary on Wednesday Fr D was able to do a little more on the upcoming newsletters before a lunch appointment with a couple of parishioners. When he got home again he was preparing to meet with the Confirmation candidates in the evening for their last ‘input’ session until the actual celebration at Arundel Cathedral with Bishop Richard. On Thursday, after Morning Prayer, Mass, and Rosary, Fr D again went off to the Tribunal Office where he was archiving all of the 2022-3 cases now that they were completed. Initially the complete case (application, letters, interview evidence, decrees, and sentences) are filed and, after ten years these files are thinned out to just the evidence pack and final decree. They are then kept in the archives for 100 years after the final decree! When he got home again in the evening Fr D was just able to note the news that we had a new Pope before meeting with a young couple who are in the process of preparing for their child’s baptism in June. After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Rosary on Friday Fr D completed his parts of the newsletters for the next two weekends before passing them on to Sarah in the Parish Office to finish and print/send off. He discovered that the covering sheets for sending out the newsletter had now been exhausted and had to make up several weeks worth (looking for useful ‘Catholics Can Laugh’ stories/jokes). In the afternoon Fr D had an appointment to have a scan for abdominal aortic aneurisms (I think that he’s reached some age when they call people in to check them out!) . . . . . . . .
With all the questions, doubts, and dangers facing them, the apostles focussed their attention on finding a twelfth apostle. Why was this important? Twelve was a very important number: twelve was the number of tribes of Israel. If the new Israel was to come from the disciples, a twelfth apostle was needed. But Jesus had chosen the original twelve. How could they know whom he would choose? 120 people were gathered for prayer and reflection in the upper room, when Peter stood up to propose the way to make the choice. Peter had just one criterion, that, like Andrew, James, John, and himself, the new apostle be someone who had been a disciple from the very beginning - Jesus’ baptism until the Ascension. Two men fit this description - Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas. They knew that both these men had been with them and with Jesus through his whole ministry. But which one had the heart to be a witness to his resurrection. Then they knew that only the Lord could know what was in the heart of each. So, they cast lots in order to discover God’s will and the lot fell to Matthias. He was the final apostle and the group was whole again as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The tradition of dedicating the month of May to Mary, came about in the 13th century. In her unique way, Mary gave new life to the world when she gave birth to our saviour Jesus Christ. The link between Mary and the month of May became popular among the members of the Jesuit Order and, by 1700, it had a firm hold among their students at the Roman College and a short time later it was publicly celebrated in the Gesu Church in Rome. From there it spread to the rest of the Church. The pious practice of honouring Mary during the month of May has been especially promoted by several Popes characterising it as one of those “other exercises of piety which although not strictly belonging to the Sacred Liturgy, are nevertheless of special import and dignity, and may be considered in a certain way to be an addition to the liturgical cult: they have been approved and praised over and over again by the Apostolic See and by the Bishops” Devotion to Mary is one an important part of the Catholic identity. During May we will be praying one decade of the Rosary after our weekday Masses
As usual in the Gospel stories, Jesus meets people where they are at, busily going about their daily lives. In this story, sometime after Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples are back working at their profession-fishing. They have a rough night and come up empty, without any fish to eat or sell for their living. Then, as in a previous story in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus asks them to try again, and suddenly their catch is so big they can barely bring it all to shore. At that point, the beloved disciple recognizes it is Jesus on the shore, and he has a breakfast feast ready for them. Interestingly, even though Jesus could have provided everything for this wonderful meal on the beach after a long, hard night of work, he asks them to contribute to the meal by sharing some of the fish they just caught. Jesus doesn’t just give in one direction. He wants the relationship to go both ways-with each party sharing something with the others. How many times have we given something to a friend or loved one only to have them give us something in return? Or perhaps when we thought we were “serving” the less fortunate, we discovered their desire to serve us or give something to us in return. We can probably all recognise the uncomfortable feeling of inequality or a power differential when someone from “above” gives something to someone “below” who can’t return the favour. Jesus seems to understand this. We will never be equal to him, but he still wants us to contribute what we can in the relationship so that there is some mutuality. So it was with the disciples that morning when they had breakfast together on the beach. Jesus provided some of the food, and they provided some of it. Later, the conversation turned to what Jesus asked Peter to do for him. After all that time of Jesus doing things for the apostles, now comes the time when Jesus wants Peter to rise to the occasion and start doing the same for others by feeding and tending his sheep. Questions of the week What are some of the ways Jesus has “fed you” in your lifetime? In what way(s) are you being called to feed and tend Jesus’ sheep now?
Born in the Castile region of Spain, John was sent at the age of 14 to the University of Salamanca to study law. He later moved to Alcala, where he studied philosophy and theology before his ordination as a priest. After John’s parents died and left him as sole heir to a considerable fortune, he distributed his money to the poor. In 1527, he travelled to Seville, hoping to become a missionary in Mexico. The bishop of Seville persuaded him to stay and spread the faith in Andalusia. During nine years of work there, John developed a reputation as a preacher, a spiritual director, and a wise confessor. Because John was not afraid to denounce vice in high places, he was investigated by the Inquisition but was cleared in 1533. He later worked in Cordoba and then in Granada, where he organised the University of Baeza, the first of several colleges run by priests who dedicated themselves to teaching and giving spiritual direction to young people. He was friends with Saints Francis Borgia, Ignatius of Loyola, John of God, John of the Cross, Peter of Alcantara, and Teresa of Avila. John worked closely with members of the Society of Jesus and helped their growth within Spain and its colonies. John’s mystical writings have been translated into several languages. He was canonized in 1970, and declared a doctor of the Church on October 7, 2012.
The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A reasonably busy week around The Presbytery as Fr D returned from Lourdes to settle back into ‘normal’ life . . . . It seemed as if Fr D couldn’t get to the big white boxes in the utility room quick enough! He was emptying his ‘box on wheels,’ sorting clothes, and putting various piles into the white boxes all through Monday morning - the ensuing noise meant that I could hardly think! Before he got ‘snowed under’ with preparations for our Easter celebrations Fr D had been working, with Euro Car Parks, on the new schedule of charges for our car park:
So many times in Scripture when an angel or Jesus approach a person or a group with a task, we are told that they are afraid or are living in fear, as the disciples were in this reading. For example, it happened to Isaiah when an angel asked him to be a prophet. It happened to Mary when the angel Gabriel asked her to bear Jesus. It happened to Peter when Jesus asked him to follow and be a fisherman of people. Whether it is an angel or Jesus appearing, each begins their address with words of reassurance: “Do not be afraid,” or in this case, “Peace be with you.” The ones being visited aren’t shamed or reprimanded for being afraid. Only after their fear is acknowledged are they given their task. For the disciples who are still hiding out in fear for their lives, Jesus sends them to do exactly what they are afraid to do-leave their hiding place, go public, and do what God sent Jesus to do. Maybe they are still afraid. Maybe their voices shake a bit when they first begin to proclaim Jesus’ message. Maybe they don’t feel worthy to still be a follower of Jesus. Maybe they doubt their ability to bring hope and healing to those who need it, but they still go. The first reading from the Acts of Apostles tells us some of what the apostles were able to accomplish once they left that locked room. They cured sick people and cast out demons, just as Jesus had promised them they would. To do that, they had to move way out of their comfort zone, but remembering Jesus’ words “Peace be with you” helped them to do it. Questions of the week When have you had an experience of being called to do something that scared you? What helped you to do it? Is there an area of your life now in which God is inviting you to be more courageous and trusting?
Eastertide is the time of new life. Our Saviour’s in the first place, living for ever a life which belongs no more to the earth and which one day we shall share with Him in heaven. And then our own lives - from Christ to us - for we have more than the assurance of rejoining Him; snatched by Him from the power of the devil we belong to Him as His by right of conquest and we share His life. Easter week is the week of the baptized. They have passed from death to life, from the darkness of sin to the life of grace in the light of Christ. Wherever there are neophytes, the Easter season, and particularly the first week, is the period of postbaptismal catechesis or mystogogy. The community shares with them a deepening understanding of the paschal mystery and an ever greater assimilation of it in daily life through meditation, participation in the Eucharist, and the practice of charity. The moral requirements of the new life are recalled throughout Eastertide. They are governed by the principle enunciated by St. Paul that, risen with Christ, the Christian must raise his desires to heaven, detach himself from earthly pleasures in order to love those of heaven. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to complete the formation in the baptized of the ‘new man’ who, by the holiness of his life, bears witness to Christ crucified. The Fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost are celebrated in joyful exultation as one feast day, or better as one ‘great Sunday.’ These above all others are the days for the singing of the Alleluia. The Sundays of this season rank as the paschal Sundays and, after Easter Sunday itself, are called the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Sundays of Easter. The period of fifty sacred days ends on Pentecost Sunday. The first eight days of the Easter Season make up the octave of Easter and are celebrated as solemnities of the Lord. On the fortieth day after Easter the Ascension is celebrated, except in places where, not being a holy day of obligation, it has been transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. This solemnity directs our attention to Christ, who ascended into heaven before the eyes of his disciples, who is now seated at the right hand of the Father, invested with royal power, who is there to prepare a place for us in the kingdom of heaven; and who is destined to come again at the end of time. The weekdays after the Ascension until the Saturday before Pentecost inclusive are a preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. This sacred season of fifty days comes to an end on Pentecost Sunday, which commemorates the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, the beginnings of the Church and its mission to every tongue and people and nation.