The deacon is all about service----service to the people of God----- so service to the Church.
It is a powerful moment when the deacon is ordained by the laying on of hands in the same manner in which the original apostles ordained the first deacons as you read in Acts of the Apostles. We are ordained to serve and to be the hands and feet of Christ in our modern world.
Deacons are the heralds of Christ. That is why you see the deacon proclaim the Gospel when present at Mass. The deacon is also the ordinary minister of the cup at Eucharist. The deacon may preach from time to time as the pastor wishes that to be done. The deacon serves the bishop/archbishop and their successor. A deacon can do all things that a priest does with two notable exceptions. First, a deacon cannot absolve sin. The second, a deacon cannot do transubstantiation whereby the gifts of bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ in Eucharist. A deacon can baptize, officiate at marriages, give Eucharist and give blessings to the people of God.
Deacons bring their faith to the workplace as well. They also are involved with many charitable organizations and can bring that faith to the sick in hospitals and to those in prison to name but a few.
As for me, in addition to being a sales representative for a small biotech company, I am involved in men’s group, Knights of Columbus; we mentor deacons to be ordained in 2020 and act as the companion couple to the deacon class to be ordained in 2024. I am also the chaplain for the South Oldham Fire Department and I also officiate high school basketball in the 8th Region of the KHSAA.
I have been ordained for ten years. Elizabeth and I have been married for 31 years. We have three grown children. Our oldest is Haley and she has special needs but has taught me more lessons and taught me more about life. Our son Patrick works for Medtronic in Indianapolis, IN and is now engaged. Our youngest Meghan is a nursing student at Indiana University and is engaged to be married in September 2020. Elizabeth is paramount in my life and gives me the strength needed to carry out the work that I am ordained to do. We are a complete team.