The Bishop of Cloyne, William Crean, is making a call for ‘eligible men, married or single’ who are interested in becoming ordained deacons.
Deacons are members of the clergy who can do everything a priest can do, except celebrate the Eucharist or hear confession. They are the third group in a trio of clergy: bishops, priests and deacons.
Vatican II allowed the restoration of the permanent Diaconate in 1967, after the role fell out of popularity from about the 5th century onwards in the Latin Catholic church.
However, in Ireland the Irish bishops only started giving the idea consideration in the ’90s.
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