Claudio Laferla and his wife Antoinette on a visit to the Vatican: They want to use their knowledge to serve the Church. Photo: FacebookClaudio Laferla and his wife Antoinette on a visit to the Vatican: They want to use their knowledge to serve the Church. Photo: Facebook

Claudio Laferla, a father of two from Tarxien, is relishing the opportunity to become a permanent deacon, as this would give him the “moral authority” to reach out to people who feel marginalised by the Church. Until recently this Holy Order was reserved exclusively for those on their way to priesthood, but in his final act as head of the Maltese Church, Archbishop Paul Cremona last month announced that married laymen would be eligible to be ordained deacons on a permanent basis.

For many, it is inconceivable that a married man could be vested with the power to preside over religious marriages, baptisms and funerals.

But Mr Laferla, 44, greeted the announcement with enthusiasm, as he had been hoping to be granted the opportunity for some time. He had felt the vocation for two years, he told Times of Malta.

Mr Laferla, who is close to obtaining a master’s degree in spirituality, believes that he and his wife Antoinette, who has a master’s degree in family ministry, may lend their knowledge to the service of the Church.

I humbly believe that I am gifted with a talent to preach the Gospel

“As a deacon, together with my wife’s support, I would be able to reach cohabiting families who feel marginalised for not being married by the Church,” he said.

“I humbly believe that I am gifted with a talent to preach the Gospel, and would like to become a deacon to have the moral authority to do so.”

Though hailed as an important pastoral innovation, the introduction of permanent deacons has raised questions about the issues of celibacy, the formation of deacons and the powers vested in them by the Church.

However, theology expert Hector Scerri, head of the department of fundamental and dogmatic theology at the University of Malta, points out that permanent deacons were very common during the first six centuries of the Church. Saint Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, was a deacon.

“They were extremely close to the grass roots of society and certain ancient liturgical texts describe the deacon as the mouth, the eye, the ear and the heart of the bishop,” he said. Eventually, this social role died out and only the liturgical role remained.

This was the stage when the diaconate started to be seen as a stage immediately preceding the priesthood, and so the permanent diaconate disappeared in the Catholic Church.

It was not until several centuries later that permanent diaconate was restored by the Vatican Council II.

Though deacons wear an alb, which is the long white garment worn by priests, they can be distinguished by the stole which is worn diagonally. In addition, deacons can also wear a dalmatic, which is a garment resembling a priest’s chasuble, but with a form of sleeve.

Permanent deacons have a liturgical but also a social mission. Presiding over baptisms, distributing Holy Communion, assisting at Church marriages and conducting burial services are some of their liturgical tasks. They can also preach the homily during Mass, besides being involved in evangelisation and in catechesis.

“The social role of deacons encompasses administrative duties in a diocese or in a parish. They are involved in the charitable service given by the Church. They can also be involved in pastoral work in places such as hospitals, schools and prison,” Rev. Prof. Scerri said.

On the issue of gender and celibacy, he said the permanent diaconate was part of the sacrament of Holy Orders, which was reserved for men.

All unmarried men who have received formation for the diaconate – whether transitory (as they are becoming priests) or permanent – have to make a vow of celibacy and so cannot get married. However, married men can still be accepted for ordination to the permanent diaconate as they do not take this vow.

“This does not mean that married permanent deacons are not imitating Christ. In their case, they are imitating Christ in other dimensions of the witness he bore, though not in his celibacy.”

On the other hand, a married permanent deacon who is widowed cannot remarry.

Candidates would have to be screened psychologically in order to examine their motivations and, in the case of married men, the consent of their wife is required.

Once this hurdle is cleared, they would have to attend a programme which is normally spread over three to four years. This would deal with their human, academic, spiritual and pastoral formation.

“Most courses, abroad, take from three to four years and it is normal that the future permanent deacon’s wife is involved in the formation programme,” he said.

He noted that the introduction of deacons will not apply to Gozo, as this is a separate diocese.

Members of the Church, he added, need to be well informed about this new ministry, and the concerns raised by priests and the laity need to be addressed, said Rev. Prof. Scerri.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.