To be a permanent deacon is to be part of the permanent diaconate. In the “Policy Manual for the Ministry of Permanent Deacons in the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth”, the permanent diaconate is meant to be “a driving force for the Church’s service or diakonia toward the local Christian communities and a sign or sacrament of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.” Because the deacon is a public and “living icon of Christ the Servant within the Church,”3 his ministry encourages all the baptized to commit themselves to service of the ecclesial community and the world.
The diaconate is conferred through the prayer of ordination and the laying on of hands by the Archbishop, “not for the priesthood but for service.” The Diaconate is a distinct permanent order. It is a ministry which enhances the vitality of the church and which sacramentalizes the primacy of service and charity in the Church. The permanent deacon fulfills the three-fold ministry of Word, Liturgy and Charity.
At present there are nine men meeting monthly as aspirants in formation. Before becoming aspirants, they spent a year discerning their call to the diaconate. The next opportunity for men called to the diaconate will be in 2026.
Those interested in the diaconate can contact the Director of Deacons and Deacon Formation, Deacon Robert Doyle at 902-429-9800 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
