The Deacon

Deacon Raymond K. Vann, Th.D.

In an essay entitled “The Establishment Hypothesis,” which was published in 2023 by the theological journal Nova et Vetera, Deacon Dominic Cerrato, Ph.D., ties the institution of the diaconate to the Mandatum.1 Deacon Cerrato reflects on how the sacerdotal order was handed to the Apostles through the Last Supper with Jesus’s commandment of “do this in remembrance of me,” and how the diaconal order was handed to the Apostles at the same time under Jesus’s commandment “as I have done for you, you should also do,” which was tied to the washing of the feet. If you haven’t read Deacon Cerrato’s essay, I highly encourage you to do so.

Also in his essay, Deacon Cerrato points to the Latin phrase, “nemo dat quod non habet,” meaning, “no one gives what they do not have.”2 The Apostles received the gifts of the diaconal and sacerdotal powers directly from Jesus, and then were able to pass them to their successors, who then passed them to their delegates, the priests and deacons. It is in this vein that I write this article. I would like to offer a closer look at how the bishop, through ordination, gives what he has received to his priests and deacons.

At first glance, the question of how the bishop passes on the diaconal order to deacons and the sacerdotal order to priests may seem elementary. Of course, the efficacious act is through the laying on of hands. But in both priestly and diaconal ordination, there are other significant elements beyond the proper matter, form, and intent that define the character of the ordinand. In the current ordination rite, the newly ordained priest, after the laying on of hands (matter), after the prayer of consecration ( form), and after being vested with the stole and chasuble, is anointed in his hands with sacred chrism by the ordaining bishop, in order “to offer sacrifice to God.”3 Likewise, the newly ordained deacon, after the laying on of hands (matter), after the prayer of consecration ( form), and after being vested with the stole and dalmatic, has the Book of Gospels placed in his hands by the ordaining bishop, in order to become the herald of the Gospel of Christ.4

The correlation of the anointing of the priest’s hands and the placing of the Book in the deacon’s hands is significant in that both define – and, in fact, complete – the essence of the principal character of each order. While the laying on of hands and the efficacious words within the Prayer of Consecration forever change the nature of the Christian being ordained, the placing of the Book into the deacon’s hands and the anointing of the hands of the priest bestow on them the power to act in the sacred, each according to his office. Here we see a clear being and becoming related to each. The priest, having received both the placing of the Book of Gospels in his hands during his diaconal ordination as well as the anointing of his hands during priestly ordination, possesses the capacity to serve as both herald of the Gospel and as one who offers sacrifice. The deacon only possesses the former.

Going back to Deacon Cerrato’s “nemo dat quod non habet,” the bishop is giving what he himself has received. However, I propose that the bishop is not passing on the Book of Gospels as he received it during his diaconal ordination, nor is he passing on the anointing as he received it during his priestly ordination. Rather, the bishop passes on the Book of Gospels and the sacred chrism as he received them during his episcopal ordination. And this distinction is significant.

In the current ordination rite of a bishop, the bishop-elect – immediately after the laying on of hands – has the opened Book of Gospels placed on his head by the principal consecrating bishop, which is then held there by two deacons (one on each side) throughout the prayer of consecration. After the prayer, the Book of Gospels is then removed from the head of the newly ordained bishop and held by one of the deacons. Following the removal of the Book from the bishop’s head is the anointing.5 Unlike priestly ordination, where the new priest is anointed in his hands, the ordination of a bishop calls for the principal consecrator to anoint the new bishop with sacred chrism on his head in order “to share in the high priesthood of Christ.”6 The Book of Gospels is then handed from the deacon to the principal consecrator, who then places it in the hands of the new bishop, instructing him, “Receive the Gospel and preach the word of God with unfailing patience and sound teaching.” The deacon then takes the Book and returns it to its place.7

The implication of placing the Book of Gospels and the sacred chrism on the head of the bishop, rather than only in his hands, should not be overlooked. It is from his head that he will later place sacred chrism in the hands of the priests he ordains. It is from his head and his hands that he will later place the Book of Gospels in the hands of the deacons he ordains. All those he ordains share in his headship, which comes from Christ, in the manner proper to their order.

So, out of this rite, we see a clear joining of the priest to the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the deacon to the Liturgy of the Word, all of which is under the care of the priest – who is presider of both Word and Eucharist within the Liturgy of Holy Mass. Put another way, Fr. Thomas Michelet, O.P., Ph.D., a theology professor at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, writes: “Two lines therefore run from the bishop’s ‘head’ to his ‘two hands.’ A priestly line in the specific sense (sacerdos) that links the priest to the bishop; and a prophetic line (praeco) ‑that links the deacon to the bishop in the hierarchical priesthood.”8

In this article, I hope I have planted a diaconal seed of theological discussion. And I hope to bring about further discussion through many more seeds in future articles and publications. These seeds will hopefully help grow current diaconal theology and maybe even help develop diaconal doctrine, while never contradicting Church teaching. For it is from the Head of the Church, Christ Jesus, that the Apostles received their sacred powers (sacra potestas), which were passed to their successors, the bishops, who each now pass them from their head to the hands of their priests and deacons, so that they too can serve (deacons) and sacrifice (priests) in the person of Christ the Head according to their degree of orders. TD

Footnotes

1 Dominic Cerrato, “The Establishment Hypothesis: Toward a More Integrated Theology of Holy Orders,” (Nova et Vetera Volume 21, No. 4, Fall 2023), 1287.
2 Ibid, 1291.
3 The Rites of the Catholic Church, Volume II, “Rite of Ordination of a Priest”, 43-45.
4 The Rites of the Catholic Church, Volume II, “Rite of Ordination of a Deacon”, 33-36.
5 The Rites of the Catholic Church, Volume II, “Rite of Ordination of a Bishop”, 72-74.
6 Ibid, 74
7 Ibid
8 Thomas Michelet, “Deaconesses and the Diaconate,” (Nova et Vetera Volume 23, No. 2, Spring 2025), 388.

Sources

Cerrato, Dominic. “The Establishment Hypothesis: Toward a More Integrated Theology of Holy Orders.” Nova et Vetera Volume 21, No. 4 (Fall 2023): 1275-1303.

Michelet, Thomas. “Deaconesses and the Diaconate.” Nova et Vetera Volume 23, No. 2 (Spring 2025): 381-393.

The Rites of the Catholic Church, Volume II: The Roman Ritual and Pontifical Revised by Decree of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and Published by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II; Approved for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and Confirmed by the Apostolic See. Collegeville, “Ordination of a Deacon,” 27-37, 79-84, MN: Liturgical Press, 1991.

Deacon Ray Vann, Th.D., serves at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lufkin, Texas. He is a Police Chaplain for the Lufkin Police Department and is a published author. His latest book is Developing Diaconal Theology, A Study of the Diaconate and Actions in the Person of Christ the Head.

Photo Credit: Renata Sedmakova/Shutterstock.com