The Diocese of Salt Lake City celebrated the 50th anniversary of the permanent diaconate with a Mass held on July 31 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided over the celebration, which brought together active and retired deacons along with their spouses to mark the golden jubilee of the ministry.
During the Mass, Bishop Solis expressed gratitude for the deacons and their wives for their service to the people of God in the Diocese of Salt Lake City and the United States. The bishop noted that the ministry is marked by fifty years of charity, prayer, and dedication. He specifically recognized Deacons Mansueto Flaim, Lowell Palm, and Stanley Stott, who are the surviving members of the first class of deacons in the diocese, ordained in 1976.
In his homily, which was delivered in both English and Spanish, Bishop Solis described the deacons' ministry as one of service, Gospel proclamation, and works of charity. He noted that deacons serve by visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons, as well as teaching religious education and officiating at weddings and funerals. The bishop also honored the wives of the deacons, acknowledging their sacrifices in supporting their spouses' ministry.
The permanent diaconate has roots dating back to Saint Stephen and six other men described in Acts 6:1-7. While the ministry declined over time, it was restored as an ordained ministry in the Latin Church following the 1967 promulgation of Sacrum diaconatus ordnem by Pope Saint Paul VI, in response to the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium.
The celebratory Mass included several deacons serving as ministers of the Holy Eucharist. Following the service, a dinner was held for the deacons and their wives.
