Friday, December 6, 2013

PERMANENT DEACONS AND THE ROMAN COLLAR

Decreed December 4, 2013. Effective December 8, 2013:

In the Archdiocese of Agana permanent deacons are to wear normal lay clothing. Permanent deacons do not wear clerical attire (i.e. roman collar). 

An exception was made for one deacon in particular:

"A deacon may wear the roman collar if his official ministerial assignment is in a hospital, nursing facility, or in an institution dedicated to feeding the poor and homeless."

Also:

The proper title for addressing deacons in the Archdiocese of Agana is: "Deacon Jose Cruz", or "Jose Cruz, Deacon", or, "Deacon and Mrs. Jose Cruz"...the salutation, greeting or title Reverend Deacon or Reverend Mister is no longer permitted.

Shall we then address priests as "Priest Cruz"?


From Fr. Z's blog:

Sadly, I think, bishops still have little idea what to do with deacons. The idea of denying the Roman collar to men duly ordained as clerics, while permitting it for those merely studying for the priesthood, as is the case in many seminaries, doesn’t make sense to me. A deacon is a deacon is a deacon.

9 comments:

  1. I'm not sure why the Archbishop or his daffy advisors decided that now was the time to make this change. Seems to me there are much bigger problems than members of the clergy actually wearing clerical clothing - Roman Collar.Maybe while the group on the hill is looking at policy, since deacons must not wear the roman collar, why not require all priests to wear the roman collar. That is one thing I admire about the Neo-priests is that they always wear the priestly attire, and I for one like that. How about all other priests?
    I am really having a hard time trying to figure out what the Archdiocese is up to these days.

    Maybe this is what the Church calls a mystery?

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  2. Well, the archbishop has released two decrees this past month: the first to remove and ruin a local priest, and now to remove the wearing of the Roman collar from Deacons. It's easy to tear things down. If only he could work on building unity, love, and mercy in the archdiocese, which are sorely lacking.

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  3. I agree that ALL PRIESTS should wear the Roman Collar at ALL TIMES wherever they are! They are a priest 24/7 no matter what...and they are the representatives of Christ.

    How about them nuns as well? I see a lot of nuns walking around the island looking like lay people. THEY ARE the BRIDES of Christ and should represent Christ 24/7. Shame on them for hiding their vocation. Don't give me the excuse that it is too hot to wear the habits because Mother Teresa ALWAYS wore her habit and never once walked around in regular clothing and she lived in the poorest conditions of the world!

    Maybe just maybe if ALL PRIESTS AND NUNS wore their habits in public then people would have more respect for them and just maybe there would be less temptations and hatred in this world because they know that Jesus is watching! That's just my opinion...

    Just me a lay person,
    Susan

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  4. I think we are starting to become more protestant.

    Last week I was at the Peace/Christmas festival and Deacon Barcinas gave the opening prayer. He was wearing a roman collar and black jacket and seemed to represent the Church. I guess from now on whenever a deacon does a blessing it will be just like a protestant blessing. I hope they are still allowed to make the sign of the cross and give a blessing?

    Agana Heights family

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  5. There were two Deacon Barcinas' in the Archdiocese of Agana, and both are deceased. Unless there is a newer Deacon Barcinas, perhaps it may have been someone else?

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  6. Agana Heights FamilyDecember 11, 2013 at 9:51 AM

    It sounded like Barcinas to me. But the point is, if you have ever been to a protestant gathering, their ministers never wear clergy attire, their standard dress is khaki pants and a light blue long sleeve dress shirt. They never do the sign of the cross, and they don't bless. Is the Archbishop trying to make our deacons more like the protestants? If not, I guess I don't understand the ban on clergy attire. Are they members of the clergy?

    Agana Heights Family

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  7. I have read the document refereed to in the decree from the Archbishop, and it simply states that Deacons perform a mission other than the priest who stands as Christ to the faithful. It does not say to humiliate or insult the Deacons, who have a mission for the church. This looks like someone used a five year old letter from Rome, that clarified the role of clergy, to use as a weapon to further the agenda of the Neo Church, which does not need Deacons...they have presbyters.
    Whats next, Deacons will not be allowed to perform the Sacraments they do by virtue of their ordination? Will they be silenced at mass, and not allowed to preach?
    Because only the Neo Deacon was exempted from the decree, this appears that it is aimed at the Deacons who have not converted to the Way...one wonders why? Perhaps this goes back to when the deacon candidates were ordered to join the Neo or not be ordained over ten years ago. Is this a grudge against them for leaving the Way after ordination?
    Finally, why can the seminarians wear the Roman collar, and not the Deacons when doing official functions? I recently saw the seminarians who are now acolytes wearing the collar, they are not even Transitional Deacons, yet they have assumed the garb of the priest? Talk about confusing...what should we call them? Reverend soon to be a father?
    It is not the clothes that make a man, it is the man who makes the clothes. We are judged not by our attire, but by our actions, words and deeds.
    I and many of the faithful are disappointed at this recent decree from our Archbishop, but i am sure he does not care in the least, after all, unless you are Neo, you just don't count in this diocese.

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  8. Imagine stripping the late Deacon Barcinas of his collar and proper salutation . . . perhaps the Archbishop did too. Hence the timing.

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  9. Deacon Tenorio, for whom the exemption was made (he runs, Guma San Jose and kamalen karidat) last I checked was not a member of the NCW. I am not aware of any Deacons assigned to the hospitals... I believe the exemption was made because of money. Deacon Tenorio runs these organizations without asking for a cent from the church.

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