Finally, Pope Paul exhorts all deacons “in performing their arduous functions in the modern
world to follow the examples of… St. Stephen the protomartyr, who as St. Irenaeus says, "was
the first chosen for diaconal service by the Apostles," and of St. Lawrence of Rome "who was
illustrious not only in the administration of the sacraments but also in the stewardship of the
possessions of the Church." 63 The permanent diaconate, promulgated in Vatican II would
become a reality in the Latin Church. It is important to note however, that the permanent
diaconate promulgated by Vatican II and authorized by Pope Paul VI, was not just a retrieval of
an ancient tradition of the Church but an updated diaconate. The new diaconate would be an
opening up of the Church to the world. As Deacon Scott Dodge, would write, “The restoration of
the diaconate marked a step toward a renewed theology of ordained ministry, which had become
somewhat distorted and ossified over the four centuries since the Council of Trent.” 64
63
Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Letter, Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem
Scott Dodge, “Looking Back and Ahead: The Theology Behind the Permanent Diaconate,” America, July 20,
2009, accessed May 17, 2018, https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/703/article/looking-back-and-ahead
64
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