Eleven years ago today I became a Deacon. It was a wonderful day. I remember having to buy a suit.
Once a deacon, always a deacon and it is still a ministry that I feel called to daily.
Here is what the ordinal says:
The Church is the People of God, the Body of Christ and the
dwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
In baptism every disciple is called to make Jesus known as
Saviour and Lord and to share his work in renewing the world.
Some by ordination are given particular tasks.
Deacons share with the bishop and presbyters in the ministry of
word and sacrament and in works of love.
In a distinctive way deacons are a sign of that humility which
marks all service offered in the name of Christ. They bear
witness to the Lord who laid aside all claims of dignity,
assumed the nature of a slave and accepted death on a cross.
In the name of the Church, deacons care for those in need,
serving God and the world after the pattern of Christ.
Bishop: Do you trust that you are truly called by God to serve as a deacon in the Church?
Answer: You bet!
http://www.humanitiesweb.org/human.php?s=g&p=c&a=p&ID=1279
If you look closely you will see the saint’s vestments are embroidered with scenes form their lives.
I almost read that as ‘………serve as a Beacon in the Church…..’ not a bad mistake to make!
Lovely photos, especially those of the installation. The one of the Primus, Provost and Dean reminded me (in a good way) of the end of Return of the Jedi 😉 :
http://waxy.org/random/images/weblog/HaydenJedi.jpg
Congratulations, both on the anniversary of your ordination and on wearing such a smashing dalmatic and maniple!
¡Felicidades de tu amigo de Mexico!
Ryan, I am relieved that you seem to liken me to the one on the left in the picture you link and not to either of the others.
Rosemary, I did notice the vestments. I noticed that lovely Stephen was sporting tassles. As I’m sure everyone who reads this blog knows, the tassles represent angels’ wings.
This may be deserving of a separate blog post, but I am puzzled by the number of clergy who think maniples look silly. In the grand scheme of tassles, pointy hats and long silky copes, I think maniples are pretty mild.
No maniple – no mass.
Indeed, and I would say that any Bishop should be flattered to be compared to the mighty Yoda. Unhighfalutingly, St.Silas once did a “What would Jesus Say About Star Wars” service!
Wikipedia claims that maniples haven’t been popular since 1967 ; perhaps the clergy you mention are trying to be in line with fashion? Obviously pointy hats are good for all events and seasons 🙂
While I’d not go so far as to require a maniple for a valid mass (I’m rather sure Jesus wasn’t wearing one at the Last Supper) I do find them quite sporty. Far from silly, they’re a lovely addition.
The only maniple I thought was silly was the one that matched a home-spun chasuble and stole that dwelt in the vestry of my alma mater. Really, if you’re wearing what amounts to a burlap vestment, I think the time for maniples has passed. As silly as grubby sandals with a damask cope and lace alb.