Parameters for Deacons
Date: June 15, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: My question is a follow-up from this 2007 article on deacons. You mention that in the presence of the priest, the deacon should not bless or give the Benediction blessing after adoration. Where can we read more on this topic? Because I have seen a norm where the deacon will take care of Eucharistic adoration, preside over vespers or morning prayer, and then immediately give the blessing as he is an ordinary minister of these offices. A priest may or may not be present, and because there is some uncertainty to his presence and to give the deacons more opportunity to preside over the liturgy and give the priest a kind of rest, why would the priest necessarily need to preside? Does this mean that if a bishop was present at adoration, he ought to give the blessing instead of the priest? What if the priest was older? What about when people are asking for blessings for their families and religious articles and cars after Mass? Should all be directed to the priest, who is already extremely busy on Sunday with Masses and confessions, or is it all right for the deacon to take care of these? I'm trying to understand the principles for this issue. — P.T., Washington, D.C.
Answer: In the follow-up to the original 2007 article, we touched upon some of the theological background to this question.
“Each level of the sacrament of order has its own value and its proper sphere of ministry and specific liturgical functions. Yet, they are not simply three distinct modes of orders but are indeed hierarchically structured. The deacon has many particular functions, but insofar as he is at the service of the Eucharistic mystery his ministry necessarily depends upon and is related to the priestly ministry, not as subservience but as service.
“Given that the Eucharist is the center and lifeblood of the Church, all other possible diaconal ministries such as celebrating baptism and matrimony ultimately flow from the priest's Eucharistic ministry.
“However, the priest's Eucharistic ministry, and hence the deacon’s relatedness to him, in turn depends on the bishop and finally upon Christ himself as the foundation of all the sacraments.
“In this sense of sacramental and hierarchical communion and interdependence, it is no slight to a deacon to state the fact that his is a lower grade of the sacrament of orders, just as the priest's dignity is in no way demeaned by saying that he is at a lower grade of orders compared to the bishop. This is implied in the Latin text of the prayer of priestly ordination which asks that the candidate receive the second grade or degree of priestly ministry.
“As stated in the previous article, among the practical consequences of this sacramental reality is that the deacon should not ordinarily preside over the assembly whenever a priest is present and available, just as a priest should not normally preside over the assembly in the presence of a bishop.
“There may be some legitimate exceptions to this general rule, but I believe that it is important to recognize that this rule is grounded in the nature of the sacrament and is not a mere question of protocol and human criteria.”
This deference toward the various degrees of the sacrament of holy orders is a different question from that of who is an ordinary minister of a specific sacrament or sacramental. One can be an ordinary minister yet be required to defer the presiding role to another minister without losing one’s position as an ordinary minister.
The clearest example of this is the norm, which has been confirmed several times by the Holy See, that a bishop must preside if he concelebrates at Mass. All the priest concelebrants are equally ordinary ministers of the Eucharist yet, in virtue of his order, the bishop must preside.
The reason behind this is explained in No. 18 of the Ceremonial of Bishops:
"Any community of the altar, under the sacred ministry of the bishop, stands out clearly as a symbol of that charity and unity of the Mystical Body without which there can be no salvation.
"Thus it is very fitting that when the bishop, who is marked by the fullness of the sacrament of orders, is present at a liturgical celebration in which a congregation takes part, he personally preside. The reason for this is not to give added outward solemnity to the rite, but to make the celebration a more striking sign of the mystery of the Church.
"For the same reason it is fitting that the bishop associate presbyters with himself as concelebrants.
"When a bishop presides at the Eucharist but is not the celebrant he does everything in the liturgy of the word that belongs to the celebrant and he concludes the Mass with the rite of dismissal."
The rites referred to in the last paragraph are described later in the Ceremonial in Nos. 176-186.”
Hence, even a retired auxiliary bishop would have precedence in this case over the priest who is a superior general of a major religious order.
That is why, when a priest celebrates a jubilee anniversary, the bishop will often be present without concelebrating. The rubrics foresee that he be in choir dress, have a place in the sanctuary, and may give the homily and final blessing.
It is also true that if a bishop is present at an adoration, he should at least be invited to give Benediction and has precedence over the priest and deacon. This is also true, in a general way, for all other blessings.
The general principle of the priest having precedence over the deacon, all things being equal, has also been confirmed several times by the Holy See. This is very clear in the general introduction to the Book of Blessings, No. 18, which explains this order quite well.
Speaking of deacons it says:
“It belongs to the ministry of a deacon to preside at those blessings that are so indicated in place in this book, because, as the minister of the altar, of the word, and of charity, the deacon is the assistant of the bishop and the college of presbyters.
“But whenever a priest is present, it is more fitting that the office of presiding be assigned to him and that the deacon assist by carrying out those functions proper to the diaconate.”
Note that it says “more fitting” and therefore indicates a correct liturgical procedure in accordance with the hierarchical structure of the Church. This principle is mentioned earlier in No. 18 when it indicates that the priest should defer to the bishop if he is present.
The expression “more fitting” and not a stronger legal term means that the deacon may legitimately impart those blessings that he is able to for any just pastoral reason.
In the original article I mentioned that deacon could impart Benediction for any reasonable impediment of the priest, such as the priest being occupied hearing confessions.
This concept could be extended and embrace many other situations such as those described by our reader. An elderly priest, numerous people asking for blessings after Mass, and all similar situations would justify the deacon giving those blessings without having to defer to the priest.
Although few in number, there are some blessings that are reserved to the priest, and the deacon may not impart them. These are mostly the places and objects used for divine worship.
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