Permanent deacons must be males over the age of 35 that are baptized and active members of the Catholic Church. They must have no intention to become a priest, as they can only be deacons. In order to become a deacon an individual must take a vow of celibacy, however if they are married, the individual’s marriage must be recognized by the Church. A deacon must have completed high school and must have completed the five-year formation program which consists of their training. The role of a permanent deacon within a parish is to aid the priest in visiting the sick, giving spiritual …show more content…
A pro is that it allows men to continue being deacons rather than going on to priesthood. This lets deacons to develop and strengthen their relationship with God in a more constant and stable environment. Another pro is that being a deacon allows married men to serve within the Church. A con is that deacons are at the lowest rank in the Church’s hierarchy. This makes it difficult for deacons to bring upon change within the Church as they must speak with those above them. The Catholic Church has restored the role of the permanent deacon because it allows more people to serve within the Church. Permanent deacons can get married and do not have to turn to priesthood which makes becoming a deacon appeal to people. The position of permanent deacon gets more people involved in the Church