Called to serve

When retired Deacon Lynn Clancy recalls his 28 years of active ministry in the Church, he can’t help but mention the more than 1,000 children he baptized during that time.

His greatest joy during his time as the director of the baptism program at Bismarck’s largest parish—Church of Corpus Christi—was to meet with the families, welcoming all those little ones into the faith. He considers it a remarkable gift to be able to have shared in those moments.
 
Deacon Clancy, now retired, is among the many deacons who have served the Bismarck Diocese since the first ordination class to the permanent diaconate. He, along with classmates, Deacons Bob Olson, Melvin Berg, Michael Kuss, Peter Hoffman, Martin Schumacher, Morris Martin, and Leonard Fennewald, were ordained on Aug. 29, 1981 by Bishop Hilary Hacker. Deacons Clancy and Olson are the only two surviving members; both are retired from active ministry. Until this group of eight men, the diocese had been without permanent deacons.

The presence and service of deacons in the Church is documented from apostolic times (ref. Acts 6, 1 Timothy 3). This ministry of service, or “diakonia,” grew extensively in the first four centuries of the Church. At about the fifth century, the diaconate became more hidden, so to speak, by becoming a stepping stone for men on their way to ordination to the priesthood.  The diaconate never completely disappeared in the history of the Church, but became less visible for several centuries due to its “transitional” stage at that time in history.
 
The idea came back into focus at the Council of Trent (1545-1563) when one bishop declared his desire for the traditional diaconate to be restored. This, however, was not carried into effect.
 
It wasn’t until the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) that the stage was set for the restoration of the diaconate as its own permanent rank within the Church. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the approval by Blessed Pope Paul VI in 1968 giving bishops of the United States permission to renew the permanent diaconate as an active order of ministry.
 
“I have been active in my Catholic faith since attending a Catholic school in elementary and secondary school,” Deacon Clancy said. “I was motivated to remain active by Vatican II and have been particularly inspired by Catholic Social Teaching, (social and economic justice, dignity of humanity and charitable works, stewardship of creation).”
 
Becoming a deacon
 
Many men are motivated by their faith and called to serve the Church in a more committed way as a permanent deacon. Upon completion of a five-year formation program, each man is prepared to minister as a deacon in parish and other ministerial situations, to preach the Gospel, to serve the poor and assist during the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy of the Church.  
 
Applicants to the diaconate program come from various professional and academic backgrounds. Most of the men hold full-time jobs in the secular realm, are married and have children (young and old). A few deacons are in full-time ministry at parishes. Deacon Clancy was employed in governmental service, married with two children and age 42 at ordination. The wives of married applicants attend all the formation sessions alongside their husband. They are a great support to their husbands during formation as well as after ordination during their ministry.

The criteria for a man to apply to the permanent diaconate in the Bismarck Diocese are: between 30 and 55 years of age; a fully initiated and practicing Catholic; a high school diploma or equivalent; actively involved in ministry in the parish; economically stable and self-sufficient financially; physically and emotionally healthy and free of any addictions or substance dependency; if married, in a stable marriage of at least five years and have the support and agreement of his wife and family to pursue a diaconal vocation and, if unmarried (being single or a widower), living in a lifestyle consistent with the call to the ordained ministry of the Catholic Church.
 
The role of a deacon
 
The role of the deacon is to be a helper of the bishops and priests and to proclaim by his life the Church’s call to serve the needs of others. The Bishop ordains men as deacons so that his daily work, and the daily work of his priests, can be carried out with greater effect.
Because of the vibrant presence of deacons in the Diocese of Bismarck, more people are encountering Christ each day and are receiving the message of hope and healing that He offers.
 
Monsignor Thomas Richter, pastor of Queen of Peace in Dickinson, served as the vicar for deacons for over a decade until 2017. In this role, and in his priestly ministry, he credits deacons as vital helpers.
 
“Deacons provide a valuable service to a parish in general and to a priest in particular,” Msgr. Richter said. “Living out his promise to pray daily the Liturgy of the Hours serves the entire Church. Presiding over funeral vigil services, burials and weekday celebrations in the absence of a priest, taking communion to the homebound and visiting the sick are common duties of a deacon that provide pastoral care to the parishioners and assistance to the priest.”
 
Deacon Clancy said not only did he have the privilege of helping others deepen their faith while serving as a deacon, his own dedication to Christ grew during his ministry.
 
“The Diaconate offered many opportunities for retreats, conferences and continuing education. I had the opportunity to be employed by the University of Mary, and the Diocese of Bismarck. Although these employment assignments were not as a deacon, they afforded me the opportunity to apply my diaconate formation and commitment and to work closely with many of our leaders in faith in the Diocese of Bismarck.”
 
Father Ken Phillips, pastor at St. Joseph in Beulah and St. Martin in Hazen said that in his 27 years as a priest, he’s always been inspired by the selfless generosity and willingness of permanent deacons to serve in whatever capacity they are needed.
 
“They help the priest and the parish in so many ways: serving as a deacon at weekend Masses, occasional preaching, funeral wake services, marriage preparation and weddings, visiting the sick and home bound, teaching, sacristan duties, training altar servers, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers, administrative responsibilities, being on call for emergencies when the priest is unavailable, and handling exposition, benediction, and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament at Eucharistic Adoration,” Fr. Philips said. “Because many permanent deacons are married, have families, and work with their fellow parishioners, they bring a unique perspective to parish life and in their preaching. In my experience, permanent deacons are well respected by parishioners and they are great help to priests in fulfilling their ministerial duties.”

The road to the permanent diaconate

Inquiry: Men who meet the general requirements for the diaconate may apply with their pastor’s formal recommendation. After a process that includes additional interviews, the bishop reviews the candidates and makes a final decision on which men will be invited to begin the five-year formation process.
 
Aspirancy: During this two-year stage, prospective deacons and their wives attend monthly formation sessions. They receive spiritual direction and intellectual formation in a classroom setting.
 
Candidacy: After review, the bishop formally invites aspirants to become “candidates,” a three-year process that includes continued discernment, coursework and pastoral and spiritual formation. The bishop once again reviews the candidates, and those deemed ready are “called to orders” by him.
 
Currently, there are five men in the aspirancy stage and ten enrolled in the candidacy portion of the diaconate formation program for the diocese under the leadership of David Fleck, Director of the Office of the Diaconate.
 
“One of the most amazing things about our savior, Jesus Christ, is that he came and lived among us as one who serves (Mt. 20:28). And, from the very beginning of the Church, through the present age, he desires to be present to his people as one who gives his life in service to others. This is the deacon,” Fleck said. “Through the reception of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the deacon is changed at the very core of his being and becomes the presence of ‘Christ the Servant’ in the world.”
 
He offers a quote from Pope St. John Paul II from the 1987 meeting with permanent deacons in Detroit, “The service of the deacon is the Church’s service sacramentalized.”
 
Those currently completing their five years of formation are scheduled to be ordained on Friday, Nov. 30 by Bishop Kagan at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. The candidates and their wives are: Ben and Nadra Auch, Robert Bohn, Leonard and Kristi Krebs, John Paul and Grady Martin and Bob and Kim Nutsch. They are the 33 ^rd class of permanent deacons to be ordained for the diocese.