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The Church of Chicago has
the largest number of deacons in the world. In March of 2003, there
were 624. The deacon is ordained to serve. Some do this in
parishes, performing diverse functions from business managers,
teaching, adult education, ministers of care, liturgy and the like.
Others work in agencies such as chaplains in hospitals, prisons,
feeding the homeless, ministering to truck drivers and the like.
The deacon is a visible
sign of the Church in his community. He is seen assisting at mass on
weekends, but he is also in the work place, shopping in his
neighborhood, or maybe just mowing the lawn or painting a fence.
Many of the deacons are married, and their wives also perform various
ministries. In short, the deacons and their wives give untold
hours in their churches and community.
The following is the Vision
Statement of the Chicago Diaconate:
We, the men and women of
the Permanent Diaconate Community of the Archdiocese of Chicago,
guided by the Holy Spirit and gifted with a diversity of backgrounds
and talents, are committed to serving the needs of the people of God,
paying particular attention to the needs of the poor. We
prayerfully give ourselves to proclaim and live the Word, to assist in
the evangelization of the world and to collaborate with others in
God's service.
Our hope is to be people
of faith, growing together as realistic and credible witnesses of
Jesus Christ. We hope also to foster unity with our brothers and
sisters in the world, through concern and compassion.
In ministry to the people
of Chicagoland, we commit ourselves to be enablers and facilitators of
our faith community, striving to build family among its members.
Finally, we pledge ourselves to promote increased opportunities for
input and leadership among people of all cultures.
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