CHOSEN TO SERVE: THE ENDURING CALL OF THE DEACONATE

Deacon Michael J. Taylor

Fifth Sunday of Easter

“They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid hands on them” (Acts 6:1-7).

On this Fifth Sunday of Easter, the Church gives us a reading that is foundational for those of us ordained to the diaconate. Acts 6:1–7 is not simply a historical moment—it is the Church’s first Spirit‑led discernment about ministry, service, and the needs of God’s people. It is the moment when the apostles recognized that the Gospel could not flourish unless the community itself was cared for with justice, compassion, and order. And so, guided by the Holy Spirit, the twelve Apostles called forth seven reputable men—filled with wisdom, filled with the Spirit, and filled with a heart for God’s people. This is the birth of the diaconate.

The Diaconate in the Early Church

From the beginning, the deacon was not merely a helper or an assistant. The early Church understood the deacon as one who embodied the servanthood of Christ Himself. St. Paul greeted the “bishops and deacons” in Philippi. St. Stephen preached boldly and became the first martyr. St. Philip baptized the Ethiopian official and proclaimed the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. Deacons became the eyes and ears of the bishop, the guardians of the poor, the administrators of charity, and the ones who ensured that no widow, no stranger, no vulnerable person was forgotten.

The early Church saw the deacon as a bridge between altar and street, between bishop and people, between the proclamation of the Word and the concrete needs of daily life. Their ministry was not small. It was essential.

The Diaconate Today

Two thousand years later, the ministry of the deacon continues to stand on those same three pillars: Word, Liturgy, and Charity. But the context has changed, and the needs of God’s people have multiplied.

Ministry

Today, deacons preach in parishes and prisons, baptize children and bless marriages, accompany the grieving and advocate for the marginalized. We serve in hospitals, shelters, schools, food pantries, and board rooms. We stand at the ambo and at the street corner. We proclaim the Gospel on Sunday and live it on Monday. And in a world marked by division, loneliness, and injustice, the diaconate is not simply relevant—it is urgently needed.

A Call to Action for Deacons

Acts 6 reminds us that the diaconate was born because the Apostles had a problem: people were being overlooked. Needs were going unmet. Voices were going unheard.

That is still true today.

If we are to be faithful to our calling, then we must ask ourselves:

Who is being overlooked in our communities today? Whose needs are going unmet? Whose voices are we called to lift?

The diaconate is not a ministry of comfort—it is a ministry of courage. It is a ministry that requires us to step into the places where the Church must be present but is not yet visible. It calls us to be men of prayer, men of service, men of justice, and men of deep compassion.

As servant‑leaders, we are also called to ongoing formation and fellowship. I encourage my brother deacons to consider attending the 2026 National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus (NBCCC) and National Association of Black Catholic Deacons and Wives (NABCD) Conference, taking place July 21–23 in Houston, Texas. Likewise, the Bowman‑Francis Ministries National Black Catholic Men’s Conference is scheduled for October 15–18 in Birmingham, Alabama. These conferences offer a powerful space for prayer, renewal, and strengthening for our commitment to ministry. These gatherings nourish our vocation and deepen the bonds that sustain our service.

Continuing the Mission

As we continue through this Easter season—a season of new life, new beginnings, and renewed mission—Acts 6 invites every deacon to return to the roots of our vocation. We were not ordained for status. We were not ordained for privilege. We were ordained because the Church needed servants who would not be afraid to get close to the suffering Christ in the poor, the forgotten, and the wounded.

The apostles laid hands on the first deacons so that the Word of God might spread and the number of disciples might increase. That mission has not changed.

May we, as deacons today, be faithful to that same Spirit‑filled calling. May we serve with humility, preach with conviction, and love with the heart of Christ. And may our ministry—like that of Stephen, Philip, and the seven—help the Word of God continue to grow in our time.

Deacon Michael J. Taylor, Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, New Orleans, LA. deaconmjt623@gmail.com