An ancient order, restored

From the earliest days of the Church there have been deacons. Acts of the Apostles tells the story directly. The apostles needed help so that they could give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word, and so seven men of good repute were chosen, set before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:1-6). The first martyr, St Stephen, was a deacon. So was St Lawrence. The diaconate is older than most of what we now think of as parish life.

The Second Vatican Council restored the Permanent Diaconate as a stable order of ministry. Lumen Gentium 29 is precise about what a deacon is and is not. He is ordained, in the Bishop's hands, not to the priesthood but to a ministry of service. The Catechism at paragraphs 1569 to 1571 sets it out plainly. The deacon is configured to Christ the servant.

What a deacon does

A Permanent Deacon serves three offices.

• Liturgy. He assists the priest at the altar, proclaims the Gospel, preaches the homily where invited, and may administer Holy Communion. He can baptise, witness marriages, and lead funeral rites outside Mass.
• Word. He preaches, teaches, catechises, and forms the faithful. Many deacons are first names in adult catechesis and OCIA in their parishes.
• Charity. This is the heart of the diaconate. The deacon is the Church's servant to the poor, the sick, the lonely, the imprisoned. The vestment of the deacon, the dalmatic, is the garment of service.

Who can apply

This is where the diaconate differs sharply from the priesthood. The Permanent Diaconate is open to single men and to married men. A married man's wife must give her free and full consent before he can be ordained. After ordination, a deacon does not marry, but he continues in his marriage as before, and his family life is part of his witness.

Candidates are typically older men, often with a settled trade or profession, with a deep prayer life and a known record of service in their parish. Formation in the Diocese takes several years and includes study, retreats, parish placements, and the discernment of the parish priest, the formation team, and the Bishop.

Shrewsbury's Director

The Director for the Permanent Diaconate in Shrewsbury Diocese is Fr Philip Atkinson, who is also Parish Priest of St Peter's, Hazel Grove. He carries the formation programme, the discernment of candidates, and the ongoing care of deacons already serving across the Diocese. Fr Philip is the right first contact for any man who is wondering whether the Lord might be calling him this way.

The Diocese also names the diaconate alongside the priesthood and consecrated life and marriage in its Vocations Pastoral Letter. Bishop Davies wrote in 2026:

Today, I want to join Pope Leo in inviting all considering their calling to take these steps to discover their vocation, whether this will be found in Christian Marriage; the Consecrated Life of Sisters or Brothers; the Catholic Priesthood; the service of the Diaconate; or the greatness of the lay vocation lived in the midst of the world.

Source: Vocations Pastoral Letter 2026, dioceseofshrewsbury.org.

The shape of a vocation to service

If you are wondering whether the diaconate fits you, look honestly at your life now.

1. Are you already a man of regular prayer? Do you go to daily Mass when you can? Are you a frequent penitent?
2. Do people already come to you for help? Do you find your hands and your time being asked for in the parish?
3. If you are married, does your wife see this in you, and would she walk it with you?
4. Is your work and family life such that several years of evening and weekend formation could be sustained?
5. Do you read scripture and find yourself wanting to teach what you have read?

None of these is a test. They are signs that the Lord may have already started the work in you.

Diaconate and priesthood are not the same call

It is worth saying clearly. The diaconate is not a stepping stone to the priesthood, nor a consolation prize for those not chosen for it. It is its own order, with its own grace, its own dignity, and its own irreplaceable place in the Church. The 12 men currently in priestly formation in Shrewsbury are answering one call. The men preparing for the diaconate are answering another. Both are needed. Both are gifts of the Spirit.

Your next step

Three concrete things you can do this month.

• Email Fr Philip Atkinson, Director for the Permanent Diaconate, through vocationsdirector@dioceseofshrewsbury.org. Mention that your interest is in the diaconate so the message is routed correctly.
• Tell your parish priest. He has known you for years and his judgement matters in the formation process.
• Read Acts chapters 6 and 7. Stephen is the first deacon, and his life and death tell you what the order is for.

The Church needs deacons. The Lord may be asking you.