One of my favorite bloggers (and favorite prelates) is Cardinal Sean O’Malley up in Boston. Every Friday, he updates his self-titled blog, detailing all his comings and goings around Beantown. This week’s post was notable for the prominent mention of deacons, both transitional and permanent:

Saturday morning we had an ordination of three Capuchin deacons and two priests. They are young men who are stationed in Jamaica Plain, and we went to Yonkers, N.Y. for the ordination ceremony…It was a very beautiful ceremony. It was, in fact, the first time that I have ever ordained deacons and priests in the same Mass. The ritual has that ceremony in it, and I know that in Rome that is very common, but here in the United States, those sacraments are usually administered separately…

[On Sunday], we had 27 men in our permanent diaconate program receive the ministry of acolyte. The acolyte used to be what was called a minor order in the Church, along with lector, porter and exorcist. Major orders were sub-deacon, deacon and priest. Now that has all been changed. We still have what are called ministries, and the ministries are acolyte and lector.

By virtue of receiving the acolyte ministry, the men become ordinary ministers of the Eucharist and can distribute communion. It is a very simple but lovely ceremony in which they are presented with the chalice and paten, and a prayer is said over them. These ministries have been a way of building up towards ordination to the permanent diaconate. I think it calls people to a greater seriousness in their commitment and their preparation. It is a preparation for what we look forward to happening in May when we have the ordination of this class of permanent deacons at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

I was glad to see so many people attend. We had the members of the English and Spanish programs together for the Mass. If I recall correctly, there were 10 Hispanic candidates and 17 English-speaking candidates.

Many of their pastors were present to concelebrate, which was a wonderful show of support. After all, it can be very difficult for a pastor to get away from his parish on Sunday.

It’s always refreshing to see an archbishop give a tip of his mitre to the deacons, and soon-to-be deacons. Congratulations, brothers. And prayerful good wishes to one and all as you continue your journey.