Deacons are also ordained for ministry to the People of God. Their ordination puts them in a new relationship to the Church community that requires them to serve the people by aiding them as they journey to union with God. However, their first responsibility is to their families and their second to the way in which they witness in their place of work, the marketplace. The diaconate is primarily a ministry of service, especially to the poor. Deacons share some leadership roles in the worshiping assembly. At Eucharist, they serve at the altar and proclaim the Gospel. They can preach homilies, preside at weddings and at Baptisms. The call to be a deacon involves a love of the Word of God and a desire to serve.

Deacon requirements:

• Age: At least 35 at time of ordination
• Status: A Roman Catholic, married or single, of sound moral character, mature faith and possessing a sense of vocation to service
• Family: If married, a partner in a stable marriage for at least eight to 10 years, who has the expressed consent and support of his wife, and whose children are of such an age and adjustment so as not to be unduly affected by their father's pursuit of a life that involves special apostolic commitments
• Natural Gifts: Demonstrates the basic potential to develop the ministerial skills of relating to people, speaking well and being a spiritual leader
• Spirituality: A man of prayer willing to make personal sacrifices to be a consecrated sign of God's love for others in his vocation to serve
• Education: At least two years of college or its academic equivalent
• Employment: A person who reflects prior stability in career or work
• Church/Community service, Involvement: A man living the Christian life who has demonstrated active apostolic involvement and leadership among the people of God.

Deaconate Resource
Diocese Of Pittsburgh, Office for the Deaconate