Six deacons to be ordained… ‘but they won’t replace priests’

THE CHURCH is to ordain six deacons tomorrow.

They will be ordained at a special Mass by William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne, in Saint Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh, Co. Cork.

This will bring to around 100 the number of permanent deacons serving around the country.

The Church denies the deacons are being brought in to replace priests or because of a shortage of priests.

Training to become a deacon takes four years.

A deacon can read the gospel at Mass, give a sermon, bring the sick Holy Communion and administer to the sick. However, they cannot give Last Rites, hear Confessions or say a full Mass.

The group of six due to be ordained in Cork this weekend is one of the largest groups to be ordained since deacons started being ordained in Ireland in 2012.

Ahead of Sunday’s ordinations, Bishop Crean said: ‘The Diocese of Cloyne warmly welcomes the ordination of our new six deacons on Sunday. It is encouraging that we will have our first permanent deacons ordained for the diocese.’

This weekend’s group include an accountant and father who works for Pepsi in Ireland.

Last night, Damien McCabe, who lives in Cork but is originally from Co. Donegal, told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘I am becoming a deacon because I believe that is my calling.

‘I also hope I will be able to bring a different perspective as both a married man and a father of children.’

At the moment, only men can become deacons but there is a discussion in the Catholic Church at the moment to see if women can be ordained as well.

Deacons are not, as some might think, men who one day want to become a priest.

Because they are married, they cannot become priests.