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From Archbishop Gregory  |
| Wilton D. Gregory, |
Ordination to the Order of Deacon
Saturday 24 May, 2008
Christ the King Cathedral
Atlanta, GA
Wilton D. Gregory,
Archbishop of Atlanta
The Church continuously has had exceedingly high standards when it comes to selecting those whom she calls to Sacred Orders. Although by today’s criterion the ancient requirements may seem somewhat benign to our candidates this morning. The first deacons did not have to undergo long years of seminary education and formation. They did not have to pass exams in Scripture, Moral Theology, Church History, Liturgy, and Dogma. They were not subjected to endless faculty evaluations and formation reviews. They did however have to demonstrate by their lives that they were men of integrity, responsible, holy, and trustworthy. Even in that ancient Church where so many of the ordained ministers commonly had to hand over their lives as martyrs in witness to the Faith, the Community of the Church was very careful to choose only worthy and committed candidates for the ministry.
Even our ancestors in faith – the Hebrew people chose ministers who were specially designated for Divine worship because the adoration of the Sovereign God was no careless activity. Public office for people of Faith is no casual undertaking – for the ancients and most certainly not for us. That is why the Word of God selected for this Ordination today seeks to remind us to be careful in choosing our candidates for the Diaconate. I believe before God that we have such worthy aspirants in these men who come to Christ the King Cathedral today to become our new Deacons.
They are not perfect – perfection has never been a criterion for ordination to any office in the Church. In fact the Church consciously chooses men who have flaws and weaknesses because God’s grace works most effectively, as Saint Paul wisely reminded the Corinthians, in weakness so that God receives the Glory rather than mere mortals.
These men come from loving families whose support and affection have prepared them for this day in their lives. In my name and in the name of the Church in North Georgia, I thank all those parents, siblings, relatives and friends who gather this day to witness the Ordination of these men. We thank you for nurturing them, encouraging them, preparing them to become our servant ministers in the Order of the Diaconate. Continue the work of calling them to holiness of life and to integrity so that they will carry on the work of the Church and their pursuit of sanctity that they first began in your homes and around your family table.
My brothers who today also become my sons, the Order of the Diaconate will serve as a transitional moment in your lives as you continue your preparation for the Priesthood. It is, however, not an unimportant opportunity for your growth in Christ. The Office of Deacon from the earliest memory of the Church has been dedicated to the ministry of charity. It still bears that ancient association. To be a deacon must first of all be an indication that you are a man of charity – real and heartfelt compassion and concern for the poor, the neglected, and the marginalized members of our world. A deacon without a heart for charity is a hollow and valueless sign. The first deacons were selected to extend the Church’s compassion to the poor in very practical and recognizable ways. As deacons, you must also make visible the Church’s concern for those who today live without so many of the ordinary necessities of life that most of us take for granted. Your ministry should always be offered under the careful guidance of Our Lady of Charity – the patroness of our Cuban sisters and brothers – and the image of that Woman who constantly reminds the Church of the compassion of Her Son.
Deacons are called to visit the sick, to work for justice for immigrants, to comfort those who are in sorrow, to help the hungry find food, the naked clothing, and the homeless a dwelling place. Deacons visit those in prison and in nursing homes. Deacons are never far removed from those that the Lord Jesus has called the least of His sisters and brothers.
My young sons, while those tasks might also be undertaken by many other people within the Church – and indeed they are – you are about to be ordained for the Office of Charity – the Diaconate. God’s Holy Spirit will fill you with the grace of that office that the Church has dedicated to and identified with that charity that is generated around God’s Holy Altar. You will assume a place around the Lord’s Table of Charity and from that table you will go forth to exercise a ministry that is far more than mere social work.
From the Altar of the Lord you will offer the hungry a Bread that promises not merely to satisfy their physical hungers but to assure them of Life Eternal. When you proclaim the Gospel you must do so realizing that the Good News you announce is also a summons for every person to seek that Kingdom where God’s Reign will be perfect in every respect. In that Kingdom Justice will be complete for all people.
Today you become preachers – do so with fidelity to the Truth of the Gospel and to the Church’s traditions. People are looking for inspiring preachers who challenge them, encourage them to deepen their faith, and help them discover God’s presence in their lives. Become such preachers because in that way you truly will be heralds of the Good News that Christ came to reveal.
Be attentive celebrants of the Church’s Sacramental life. Consider carefully the details of the Liturgy so that people will be edified by Church’s worship and sanctified by the Sacraments and the Church’s prayer.
Today you willingly and freely embrace the Gift of Celibacy. In doing so you are telling the Church and the entire world that you will strive for all the rest of your life to live as Christ Himself lived in the midst of world. Christ was a Man of transparent simplicity and innocence. He drew His strength from His constant prayer and conversation with His Father – and so must you. Celibacy is wedded to simplicity of life and to prayer. When these elements become at variance within your life, you will find your celibacy a heavy and unbearable burden. But when your prayer life is strong and faithful, when your life-style is unencumbered by too many possessions and comforts and distractions, your living and loving will reflect the same appearance as Christ Himself provided for people who found His teaching and ministry so compelling.
Today you become a member of the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Atlanta – it brings with it a serious obligation of humble service to the People of this local Church rather than a privilege or status of entitlement and privilege. You also promise me and my successors respect and obedience. Those promises bind you and me to one another. Our relationship is not one of servant and master, but of a mutual love and affection that will be made perfect as we grow in our desire to listen to one another and come to understand that our Offices are destined to serve God’s People through our fidelity to the mission of His Church. May we do so always with joy and enthusiasm so that the Gospel will reach to the ends of the earth and God’s People will be served in all that we do with and for them. Amen.
More Information
Read the Georgia Bulletin article, "Six New Deacons Ordained In Journey To Priesthood"