Deacons may officiate at funerals, preside at holy hours, bless in accordance with appropriate
liturgical books and under certain conditions, deacons may dispense from impediments. Deacons
can have a function in tribunals as, judge, promoter of justice, defender of the bond, auditor,
chancellor, and notary. It is clear that the functions of the deacon were greatly expanded in the
1983 code.66 Subsequent commissions, publications and apostolic letters would lead to the
publication in 1998 of Basic Norms for The Formation of Permanent Deacons and the Directory
for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons by the Congregation for Catholic Education and
the Congregation for the Clergy. Their joint declaration states:
The permanent Diaconate, restored by the Second Vatican Council, in complete
continuity with ancient Tradition and the specific decision of the Council of Trent, has
flourished in these last decades in many parts of the Church — with promising results,
especially for the urgent missionary work of new evangelization. The Holy See and many
Episcopates, in promoting this ecclesial experience, have continually afforded norms and
guidelines for the life and formation of deacons. The growth of the permanent Diaconate,
however, now gives rise to a need for a certain unity of direction and clarification of
concepts, as well as for practical encouragement and more clearly defined pastoral
objectives. The total reality of the Diaconate — embracing its fundamental doctrinal
vision, discernment of vocation, as well as the life, ministry, spirituality and formation of
deacons — calls for a review of the journey thus far made, so as to arrive at a global
vision of this grade of Sacred Orders corresponding to the desire and intention of the
Second Vatican Council.67
This document would detail the process, formation, education and role of the permanent deacon
in the Church. The document would remind the reader that, “the Diaconate brings with it a series
of rights and duties as foreseen by canons 273-283 of the Code of Canon Law with regard to
66
William Ditewig, Emerging Diaconate, 90-92.
67 Congregation for Catholic Education and Congregation for the Clergy. Basic norms for the Formation of
Permanent Deacons, Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice
Vaticana, 1998. Accessed June 11, 2018,
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_31031998_director
ium-diaconi_en.html.
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