Catholic bishops are to seek the Pope's permission to introduce deacons in Ireland. The bishops, who ended their three-day autumn meeting at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, last night, made the decision "in the light of the pastoral needs of the church in Ireland now".
At a press conference in Maynooth yesterday, Father Kevin Doran, national co-ordinator of diocesan vocations, said when approved by the Pope it would be up to each bishop to introduce deacons, a ministry known as the diaconate, in his diocese.
It is anticipated papal approval will most likely be forthcoming. Ireland's first permanent deacons could be ordained within "four or five years".
Deacons may preach, perform baptisms, attend at marriages and funerals and bring communion to the sick.
Traditionally, only men may become deacons. Single men must be over 25 and take a vow of celibacy, while married men must be over 35 and have the consent of their wives. "It is recognised that the marriage is their priority," Father Doran said.
"Women certainly exercised many functions of the diaconate in the early church," Father Doran said. It was announced recently that a commission had been set up in Rome to discuss the issue of women deacons.
There will be consultation with local priests on the introduction of the diaconate in a given diocese as well as on selection, formation and training structures for deacons, he said. Formation and training would take three years. The ministry is expected to be conducted mainly on a part-time basis. On vocations, Father Doran said new seminarians this year were numbered in "the mid-20s", which represented "a levelling out" in figures for vocations over recent years.
The bishops also welcomed the recent Government initiative on the setting up of a compensation tribunal for people abused in institutions.
They believed it supported "a deeply held desire in Irish society that adequate redress programmes, inclusive of compensation, should be implemented for all who had suffered as a result of child abuse."
They "were willing to explore [with the Government] ways to further the process of healing for all victims of child abuse and to participate in any proposals which will improve the care and protection of children at present and in the future".
The bishops' spokesman, Father Martin Clarke, said they had had no communication from the Government since the compensation initiative was announced on October 3rd.
The bishops were concerned for all victims "not just those in residential care" and referred to a statement from the Catholic Primate, Dr Sean Brady, three years ago that the church would meet its obligations where compensation was concerned. He pointed out that to date all civil actions by victims against the church had been settled out of court.
