The men of God’s People

The people of the Church come in different sizes, genders, ages and take on many different roles each important and each contributing to the service the Church provides: bringing us closer to God. But a particular role in this is played by special kinds of men.

These men leading our countrys parishes are our priests and deacons. Each is supported by active believers, by religious sisters and brothers, healthcare workers and teachers who take the work of the Church out into the communities of our country.

Deacon Raymond Dunlee of Ocean View in Cape Town says deacons contribute to the work of the priest not only in supportive actions and direct assistance but also in perspective. Because a deacon comes from the congregation, he is able to bring a new angle to the running of the Church, says Deacon Dunlee.

He says sometimes parishioners feel they are not able to approach the priest as he is above them. But a deacon is on the same level as parishioners. A priest and a deacon that bring these different views together can become a strong combination for leading the Church.

Oratorian Father David Dettmer is the vocations coordinator in the diocese of Oudtshoorn. A priests role is to make Christ present in the world and to make the sacraments a part of our lives, but, he says, there is so much the parochial priest needs to do. The function of the priest has become so vast. He really does need help.

In many rural churches in the Southern African region, the role of the deacon has become ever more important as there are simply not enough priests to attend to all those in need. Deacons fulfil an essential role in taking care of parishes in light of the shortage of priests, says Deacon Simon Mokoena who serves Sebokeng parish in the archdiocese of Johannesburg.

A deacon and a priest are not the same. While the deacon can help, he cant consecrate, forgive sins, ordain, confirm, or anoint the sick. But the deacon can preach, teach, take Communion to others, assist at Mass, baptise, marry couples, lead prayer and officiate at funeral services  enough to take care of the parish until a priest is available. The deacon walks alongside the priest as an ordained minister of the Church yet sits at the right side of the priest as a sign of service. Unlike a Latin-rite priest, a deacon may be married.

This very act of custodianship was made possible by Vatican II. Prior to the council, only seminarians were ordained as deacons during their last year of theological training, shortly before being ordained to the priesthood. Its a custom that prevails today.

Pope Paul VI restored the ancient practice of ordaining to the permanent diaconate men who were not candidates for priestly ordination, when he promulgated his apostolic letter Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem (The Sacred Order of the Diaconate) in 1967. This meant married men could serve the Church in a higher vocation.

Fr Jordan Ngondo, chaplain at Leeuwkop prison in Johannesburg, says his nine months of being a deacon, prior to his ordination to the priesthood, were a valuable time of getting involved in the life of the Church and to learn about what goes on in the parish. He welcomes the permanent diacionate, but warns of the danger of competition.

A deacon can bring many benefits to the parish, he says, but he must remain in his role and not adopt a superiority complex as we are all parts of the building blocks that make up the Church. When a piece doesnt fit well, it just doesnt work, Fr Ngondo says.

For Deacon Dunlee becoming a deacon was an opportunity to take his involvement in the Church to the next level. God called and told me it was time to move on from the committees I was working with.

He says the call changed him. Im far more humble now, I have a greater appreciation for the Word, and I find dealing with people who are sick and need care very rewarding. Deacon Dunlee says working closely with the parishs families has changed his outlook on what is important in life.

Similarly, Deacon Mokoena says the diaconate has been very uplifting and beneficial to my life-long ambition of working closer to God.

Deacon Emmanuel Mohlala of London mission in the Limpopo diocese of Tzaneen says that becoming a deacon is a calling. It might start with you just wanting to help the priest, but you will hear a deeper call from God if you are meant to do it.

Deacon Mohlala says being a deacon is not just about doing mundane tasks. It means getting involved with the community through charity, working with the sick, the poor and orphans. He says the role is so enriching that often retired deacons continue their work in the parishes. It just makes me so happy, he says.

Fr Dettmer says the deacon is able to take on the functions that priests have no time for. They can get involved and help their communities and untie the hands of priests. He adds that this act of getting involved represents an opportunity for these men to grow spiritually. Its an opportunity to truly participate and it is a great blessing.

The men who lead the Church  priests or deacons  can serve as an inspiration to others to answer the call to vocation.

Fr Dettmer says it was a French Oblate priest from his home town in Colenso, KwaZulu-Natal, that drew him to the Church. He was 70-odd but he never ran out of strength. He was always caring, always inspirational, and always loving. He was a truly great man.

Fr Ngondo says it was the love of his parish priest that inspired him to follow the call to the priestly vocation. He was a father figure  someone we could relate to, someone who loved us and someone who was always available.

One event stood out especially. I was an altar server and I had shown interest in becoming a priest. The priest was sick one day and there was no Mass. The following Sunday he called on young people to become priests as we had witnessed the need first-hand. I felt it was a challenge and an invitation.

Fr Ngondo says the inspirational priest played a big role in his life and helped shape him to be the man he is today.

Even as a deacon, Deacon Sebokeng says, he is constantly inspired to do his work through the prayers and the encouragement from those at church. Likewise, he says he also makes an effort to encourage other young men to take up a vocation so that there will always be a Church.

Fr Ngondo says the priest is vital to a community because he is always there. He is not married to a family, instead his family and devotion are the members of the Church. He is not just there for the administering of sacraments. He is a representative of Christ.

These men of the Church are able to inspire each other, to support each other and in doing so are able to inspire and support the people  which is the aim of Christianity: to bring the people closer to God. Like deacons and priests, each of us has a role in the Church, and when these roles are played with love and faith, hope and joy will be the result.