What is a Deacon?

At the Academy of St. Adalbert, we are privileged to have a deacon as our principal: Deacon John Gregory. While most people have heard of deacons, few really know what a deacon does and the formation process required to become a deacon.

The three flames represent the threefold ministry of the deacon:

• Ministry of Charity
• Ministry of Word
• Ministry of Liturgy

A deacon is an ordained minister in the Church through the conferring of the sacrament of Holy Orders by the Bishop, called by the Church to serve God and all of God's people. By this ordination, which takes four years of study, the deacon shares in the ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ and in the Church's ministry of service. The ministry of the deacon lies in three principle areas of service: the Ministry of the Word, the Ministry of Liturgy and the Ministry of Charity. The deacon acts as a link between the clergy and the laity, between the liturgy and everyday life.

Click here for more detailed information on deacons from the Diocese of Cleveland.