Jubilee, thousands of deacons from all over the world in Rome until Sunday 23 February
The Holy Year events for the world of the diaconate begin this afternoon. The Dicastery for the Clergy: this is an ancient ministry that must be supported and encouraged without reducing it solely to worship and liturgical action.
Tiziana Campisi – Vatican City (From Vatican News)
Today, February 21, marks the beginning of the fourth major Jubilee event, the Jubilee of Deacons, which will conclude on Sunday, February 23, at 9:00 AM in St. Peter’s Basilica with the Eucharistic celebration. Due to his health condition, Pope Francis has delegated Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, to preside over the Mass. During the celebration, twenty-three deacons (two from Brazil, six from Colombia, one from France, three from Italy, three from Mexico, two from Poland, three from Spain, and three from the United States) will receive the sacred order of the diaconate.
More than six thousand pilgrims from approximately one hundred countries are expected to arrive in Rome for the occasion. Among them are nearly 4,000 permanent deacons with their families from Italy, 1,300 from the United States, 656 from France, 350 from Spain, 230 from Brazil, 160 from Germany, and 150 from Mexico. Additionally, large groups will come from Poland, Colombia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, along with representatives from Cameroon, Nigeria, India, Indonesia, and Australia.
The Program
This afternoon, deacons will be welcomed at twelve churches in Rome (Santa Maria in Vallicella, San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria delle Grazie al Trionfale, San Gregorio VII, Sant’Andrea della Valle, San Lorenzo in Damaso, SS. Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso, San Salvatore in Lauro, the Chapel of Saint Monica of the Augustinians, San Lorenzo in Piscibus, and Sant’Agostino in Campo Marzio), where, at 3:30 PM, a prayer session with the recitation of the Midday Hour will take place.
From 4:00 to 6:00 PM, twelve bishops will deliver catecheses on the theme "Concrete Signs of Hope in the Diaconal Ministry", divided by language groups (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, French, and English). This will be followed by a moment of sharing experiences.
Tomorrow, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, all participants will have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. At the same time, at the Auditorium Conciliazione, the international meeting "Deacons in a Synodal and Missionary Church: Witnesses of Hope", organized by the Dicastery for the Clergy, will take place. Finally, at 6:00 PM, a prayer vigil will be held in the Paul VI Hall.
The International Meeting Organized by the Dicastery for the Clergy
This international gathering will be one of the most significant events and will bring together over 1,400 participants, including deacons with their families, often accompanied by their wives, as well as delegates, leaders, and national diocesan representatives responsible for diaconal service in their respective regions, explains Father Massimo Cavallo, an official of the Dicastery for the Clergy and coordinator of the event.
The meeting has been designed as a space for listening, dialogue, and discussion. The first part will begin with an opening prayer and greetings from Cardinal Prefect Lazzaro You Heung-sik and the Secretary of the Dicastery, Monsignor Andrés Gabriel Ferrada Moreira. This will be followed by interventions from various delegates and experts on the diaconal journey.
Additionally, there will be two reflections, one by Professor Serena Noceto, a professor of Systematic Theology at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences in Florence, and another by Father Dario Vitali, a theologian and professor of Ecclesiology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
An Essential Ministry for the Mission of the Church
This initiative stems from an invitation from Pope Francis to the Dicastery for the Clergy during its last plenary session. It aims to revitalize and encourage local Churches to value the ministry of the deacon, explains Father Cavallo. The diaconate is an ancient ministry in the Church, but in its current form, it is still young, having been reintroduced by the Second Vatican Council.
The Dicastery's goal for tomorrow’s meeting is to launch a global survey to assess the current reality of the diaconate worldwide and establish international study teams that can work in synergy on this topic.
"Our reflection begins with the understanding that the diaconal ministry is essential and fundamental for the life and mission of the Church, especially today, in this era of great change," observes Father Cavallo. He emphasizes that the diaconate must be nurtured by "walking together, proposing discernment processes for both initial and ongoing formation."
Moreover, the diaconate is a ministry that "deserves to be explored further, encouraged, supported, and placed in its original and proper role." "Too often, deacons are seen merely as assistants to priests or presbyters," notes Father Cavallo. He recalls that Pope Francis, in a "well-timed remark," stated that "a deacon should not be relegated to being an altar server." Therefore, "the diaconal ministry should not be reduced solely to worship and liturgical action."