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| Welcome to the April Edition of the "Spirit In Me" Gazette. |
| April means warmer weather, spring, and renewal. Easter this year comes in April. It seems fitting that such a beautiful |
| holiday would be in this month. We celebrate Jesus's death and resurrection, which is all about renewal. Renewal of our |
| spirits, of our lives. So, wishing you all a very Happy Easter! |
| If you would like to contribute to the Spirit in Me Gazette, send your article to purpleholiclady@yahoo.com |
| Submissions are due every twenty-fifth of the month. Published online every first of the month. |
| Mark's Musings by Mark King Recently, just before Sunday Mass, a lady came up to me and congratulated me on my upcoming ordination as a deacon (God willing). She then essentially asked, what exactly does a deacon do? It was a great question and one that many Catholics have, though many won’t articulate it. The deacon’s main function is to be a sacramental sign of Jesus Christ, the servant. To be sure, there are some important liturgical functions that the deacon can perform, but everything boils down to this one idea: to be a servant…to everyone. I’m going to discuss, very briefly, the history of the diaconate, the idea of diakonia (self sacrificing love) and finally the liturgical aspects of the ministry. Around the time of World War II, several European theologians started discussing the re-establishment of a permanent diaconate. In the early years of Christianity, the deacons were servants to the bishops. The theologians believed that a permanent diaconate could help bring the Catholic Church closer to her roots and help in her mission in the 20th century and beyond. In fact, according to William Ditewig, one of the foremost experts on the diaconate in the United States, (and one of my teachers, by the way) the urgent need for a renewed permanent diaconate was the result of discussions of mostly German and Polish priest-prisoners in the infamous Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. You can probably guess why they were concerned about the Church’s response to events in the world. Bill Ditewig states that these heroic theologians were concerned “…how the church might reform herself to be a more effective witness of Christ to the world.” The Church, they felt, must do everything in its power to assure that the tragedies of the first half of the 20th Century did not happen again. A deacon is called to be a visual expression of Christ’s self-sacrificing love and service to the world. This self-sacrificing love is called diakonia in Greek (pronounced “dee-ack-o-nee-ya”). In his “Letter to a Newly Ordained Deacon” printed in the National Catholic Reporter, Ditewig reminds us that the deacon does not own his ministry. It belongs to Christ. So a deacon’s exercises a ministry that exists within the church and outside its walls. Deacons are to be a sign to those who are not Catholic, who may not even be religious, of the love of Christ the servant. Through service to the poor, the needy and the outcast of our communities, we try to bring Jesus’ message of love to those who need it most. The most visible functions for the deacons in our parishes, of course, appear in the liturgy. Now, let’s be real clear on this: Deacons are not “mini-priests.” Deacons are members of the clergy, but they have a special calling as servant to all. Therefore, in the liturgy, you will see the deacon assisting the priest. In this way, deacons are a symbolic representative of the whole congregation in the participation of the Eucharist. If a deacon is present for the liturgy of the Mass, it is his responsibility to read the Gospel and to lead the prayer of the faithful. In addition, with the permission of the priest, he may deliver a homily (you poor souls). The deacon is in charge of “setting the table” for Communion. He is also the ordinary minister of the cup and is expected to prepare the cup for the priest in anticipation of the epiclesis (when the gifts are changed into the body and blood of our Savior). After Communion, the deacon is also allowed to purify the chalice and ciborium. Yep, they set the table and do the dishes. (Kinda like home!) In addition, if any other ministers are not present to perform certain functions during the Mass, the deacon assumes that responsibility (Lector, altar server, etc.). Outside of the Mass, the deacon is also allowed to perform baptisms, preside at funerals, and perform marriages. The deacon, as an ordained cleric, can also offer blessings. As you can see, the deacon is a servant for the priest and the people of God. If it is the will of God, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church will have its first deacon in June. Keep me in your prayers, as you are in mine. Reference: Ditewig, William. “A Letter to a Newly Ordained Deacon,” The National Catholic Reporter, February 4, 2011; pages 1a – 2a. |
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Hop to it for Easter by Susanne Barabas The other day a woman asked me, "why is it that Easter is represented by bunnies and eggs? Why is the real meaning lost today?" I thought about it for awhile. The Easter Bunny has been around a long time. You see him represented in all kinds of commercials on television. They even made a movie about him, out in the theatres now. For Catholics, he can never replace what the true meaning of Easter is. We know in our faith that it is a time of renewal, for Jesus sacrificed himself to give us new life. I told this person that, but it wasn't enough. She wanted to know why more people don't protest this phoney symbol of Easter, as she called it. Well, let's look at it for what it is, I told her. A bunny is not what Easter is all about. True,they are cute, and soft, and warm. Kids identify with them, that is until they're old enough to learn the true meaning of this season. My answer however, was not enough. Still she persisted on. She asked me if it bothered me that Jesus Christ is replaced by a bunny. I said, Jesus could never be replaced by a superficial symbol. Still, she persisted. How could people compare a bunny to Jesus? What did I need to say to satisfy her questioning me about the commercialism surrounding Easter today? I simply told her, don't get upset when you see Easter portrayed in such a way. After all, a bunny is one of God's creatures, and not such a bad symbol. It shows love, and it makes us smile, like Jesus does. It touches us with warmth, just like Jesus does. It represents Spring, and new life, like Jesus does. So, I just told her, to act like a bunny, and Hop to it for Easter! |
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Easter Word Search Puzzle by Susanne Barabas |
Solution for March Word Search Puzzle |
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Saints Preserve Us by Mark King |
| All submissions are
the property of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church. Publication of any part of
the "Spirit in Me" and any of its contents without the written
permission of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church is strictly forbidden. April 2011 Copyright |
| If you have any suggestions or comments, please e-mail Susanne at purpleholiclady@yahoo.com |