The Register asked Deacon Matthew Hecker, to answer a “lightning round” of questions related to the permanent diaconate.
Q: Why did you choose to become a permanent deacon?
A: To be honest, no one really “chooses” Holy Orders. Rather, we are called by the Holy Spirit to discern a vocation to Holy Orders. As a young man, I discerned that I was not being called to the priesthood. However, the Archdiocese of Denver, my home, was an early adopter of the permanent diaconate. It opened for me another possibility of how, in my love for God, I might serve his Church. In the succeeding 30+ years, the idea of the permanent diaconate was one I continued to keep in prayer. Bishop James Conley arrived in Lincoln, following his time as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver. He was open to the possibility of extending the permanent diaconate to the Diocese of Lincoln. From there, I began an extensive time of formation and discernment, leading eventually to ordination in 2021.
Q: Why would someone want to be a permanent deacon rather than a priest?
A: The two are fundamentally different. Because men are ordained as transitional deacons on the path to priesthood, we tend to think of deacons as “priests in training.” Priests are ordained as “sacramental ministers,” meaning exactly what it sounds like. The Church needs them or else we have no access to the sacraments.
Deacons, on the other hand, are ordained as “servant ministers.” We are called to bring the living presence of Christ the servant into a dark and broken world. Think of the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus leaves the 99 sheep in order to search for the one lost sheep. When he finds it, he rejoices and places it on his shoulders. That is a beautiful example of the servant heart of Christ. His action was not sacramental (one of the seven sacraments). Deacons are called into a very deep relationship with the servant heart of Christ, enough to surrender our own plans for our life in order to be available to serve the people of God.
Q: I have seen deacons baptize children and preside at weddings, aren’t those sacraments?
A: Yes, they are. Bishops, priests, and deacons are the “ordinary ministers” of baptism. However, in case of necessity, any baptized person can validly baptize, provided they have the right intention and use the correct Trinitarian formula. Thus, administering the sacrament of baptism is not limited to Holy Orders. In a marriage ceremony, the bride and groom are the primary ministers of the sacrament because they are the ones who exchange vows and give consent. The role of the priest or deacon is to preside over the ceremony and be the official witness of the Church to the marriage.
Q: Can permanent deacons be married? What about the vow of celibacy, does it apply?
A: Yes, under limited circumstances, permanent deacons can be married. That is, a candidate for the permanent diaconate, who is married at the time of his ordination, is dispensed from the vow of celibacy. A man who is not married at the time of his ordination, or one who loses his wife after ordination, is bound to the rule of celibacy and may not later marry/re-marry.
Q: Is there a minimum age to be ordained as a permanent deacon? Is there a maximum age?
A: Yes. Canon law requires a man to be at least 25 if unmarried, and 35 if married. However, the bishops, through the USCCB, have determined 35 as the minimum age for men to be ordained as permanent deacons in the United States. Regarding maximum age, diocesan bishops have discretion in making that determination. However, generally speaking, most dioceses have adopted 60 as the upper age limit, due in large part to the reality of aging and its effect on health and energy levels. When a bishop ordains a permanent deacon, the hope/expectation is that the deacon will be available to actively minister for a good number of years.
Q: How is being a deacon different from being an acolyte or lector?
A: Good question. Actually, the Church previously had what were called “minor orders”: porter, lector, acolyte and exorcist. They served as something like steps to “major (holy) orders.” Following Vatican II, the Church retained only acolytes and lectors as ministries, and indeed, these are important steps to being ordained as a deacon. However, while serving on the altar is an important feature of the diaconate, it is but one of many things expected of deacons.
During the ordination rite, a deacon candidate lies prostrate on the floor of the Cathedral, in adoration of and submission to God, and death to self. In conferring the sacrament of Holy Orders, the bishop lays his hands on the deacon’s head to call down the Holy Spirit upon the man. We place our hands in the hands of the bishop and pledge our obedience to him and his successors. To borrow a modern colloquialism, as deacons, “we’re all in.” There is much more to being a deacon than serving at the altar. Being a deacon is a lifestyle, lived in conformity to Christ and the disciplines of the Church. It is a life of prayer and selfless service. While deacons can and frequently do resemble a layperson, we are no longer lay. Deacons are 100% ordained Catholic clergymen, available to serve the people of God as the bishop determines necessary.
Q: I am interested in finding out more about being a permanent deacon. Who can I contact?
A: Begin with speaking, at length, to your pastor about your interest. Explore with him your interest in and your understanding of the role of a permanent deacon. In what ways do you sense the Holy Spirit is prompting in you an interest in the diaconate? If you remain interested, please contact me. I would be happy to visit with you and answer any questions you (and perhaps your wife) might have about the permanent diaconate: Deacon Matthew Hecker, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 402-473-0618.
These questions were answered by Deacon Matthew Hecker, Ph.D.
Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
