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Local priest pens book on the spirituality, ministry of the deacon
By Julie Filby
What is a deacon? What does a deacon do? These are two questions pastors, parishioners and even deacons themselves ask.
In a book released this week, “A New Friendship: The Spirituality and Ministry of the Deacon,” Msgr. Edward L. Buelt, pastor of Our Lady of Loreto Parish in Foxfield, answers these questions—based on Scripture, eucharistic liturgy and Church teaching.
“The book is the fruit of a retreat that Msgr. Buelt gave at my invitation to men who were being ordained to the diaconate,” imprimatur Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., wrote in the foreword.
The retreat led by Msgr. Buelt in spring 2008 was for 14 men preparing to serve as deacons for the Denver and Cheyenne dioceses.
“I chose as the theme of the retreat a simple summary of the spirituality and ministry of the deacon, a sort of bringing-it-all-together in an intense way over the six days of the retreat,” Msgr. Buelt told the Denver Catholic Register. “I wanted the three foundational stones of the retreat to be the Scriptures, teaching of the Church regarding the diaconate, and especially the understanding that ordination to the diaconate invites one into a new relationship—one of friendship with Christ and the Trinity.”
Following the reteat, attendees were unanimous that the retreat should be published, making it available to colleagues, wives, pastors and others interested in a deeper understanding of the ministry.
“All 14 candidates expressed their judgment that it was a most helpful, prayerful summary of what they had been preparing to undertake at ordination,” he said. “The retreat brought them much peace in moving forward and accepting the call to be ordained a deacon.”
The odd-numbered chapters of the book include New Testament reflections related to service and servanthood—while the even-number chapters offer Church teaching on the ministry in light of the corresponding Scripture.
The first half of the 10-chapter volume discusses a deacon in relation to the Trinity, while the second half considers his role as an icon of Christ the Suffering Servant.
“Christ understood himself to be not simply the servant of God and of Israel, but the Suffering Servant,” said Msgr. Buelt. “Christ saves us by his suffering. He shares his saving suffering with the deacon.
“This is especially true when the deacon ministers to those who are suffering,” he said. “He does so by suffering with the poor, marginalized, outcast, prisoner, rejected, and all whom Jesus desires to draw to himself and to his Sacred Heart.”
Archbishop Chaput expressed his gratitude to Msgr. Buelt for writing the book and hopes it will be “widely shared, so that through its success, the ministry of deacons to serve sinners and the poor will be advanced.”
“In the Archdiocese of Denver, we are blessed with many faithful deacons and their wives who give extraordinary witness,” he wrote. “Without the ministry of the deacon, the Church would be in a far weaker position to preach the Gospel.”
According to the 2010 Official Catholic Directory, there were some 190 deacons serving the archdiocese.
Msgr. Buelt was ordained to the priesthood in 1982. A noted liturgist and canon lawyer, he has served the archdiocese in a variety of ministries, and as an official of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. He was appointed founding pastor of Our Lady of Loreto in 1998.
“A New Friendship: The Spirituality and Ministry of the Deacon” is a resource for bishops, priests, deacons, deacons’ wives and families, candidates in formation and parishioners. It is available at online book sellers, including www.litpress.org. Msgr. Buelt will be on-hand to sign books at the Living the Catholic Faith Conference March 11-12.
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