DOES POPE LEO WANT TO CLERICALIZE THE LAITY TO DO DIACONAL MINISTRY NOT NECESSARILY TIED TO HOLY ORDERS?

When I was in major seminary in the late ‘70’s, the heterodox were overjoyed at the decline of priestly vocations as this meant laity would be called to fill-in the gap, especially the female laity. (At that time, the heterodox only thought of two genders, but that is different today, they have drunk the Kool-aide of the LGBTQ+++ ideologies, a game-changer to be sure)!

I can remember studying the Dutch Church in the 70’s who were advocating electing from parishes, qualified lay men and women, preferably women, to lead the Eucharistic assembly in consecrating the Holy Meal, a convivial affair. 

In this view, with the lack of priestly vocations, anyone could do what any priest does. Of course in the 70’s and 80’s we saw the laizization of the clergy and the clericalizing of the laity. 

There are some orthodox who believe the Church doesn’t need the permanent diaconate resuscitated in the late 70’s by certain dioceses throughout the world but not all dioceses even to this day. In the TLM, a priest can function liturgically at a Solemn High Mass, as the deacon or subdeacon wearing the vesture of either. If this were extended to the Mass of Pope Paul VI, there would be no need for permanent deacons. 

The heterodox would like to suppress the permanent or “vocational” diaconate and give to lay men and women, mostly women, though, the roles that ordained deacons do that aren’t linked to ordination. 

Of course, we know that the primary role of deacons is to assist in the Church’s charitable ministries for the materially poor. But ordination isn’t needed for this and religious orders, especially those of women, have historically carried out this ministry without the need for ordination. 

Since Vatican II, we know it is permissible for a lay person to baptize an individual in the case of necessity and where no priest or deacon is available. 

In many South American countries, lay men and women, mostly women, are permitted to be extraordinary ministers of baptism in those communities that do not have priests or deacons for which these lay activists are grateful! Another reason to rejoice in the lack of priestly vocations—let the lay people, especially women, do it. 

The same is true of witnessing marriages, in the Latin Rite, a lay person, preferably a woman, can witness marriages in the absence of a priest or deacon especially in remote areas where no priest or deacon is available.  (This is not allowed in the Eastern Rites or Eastern Orthodoxy, as the validation of the Marriage requires the priestly Nuptial blessing)! But the Latin Rite has fudged on this requirement with a post-Vatican II emphasis that the Sacrament of Holy Matrinony is performed by the couple, the priest, deacon or lay person, preferably a women, only witnesses what the couple performs sacramentally. 

Thus, now that many know that ordination of females as deacons is definitively out of the question, there may be a push for a kind of “lay” deacons to do diaconate ministry but as laymen, but preferable for lay women, to do it. 

I could see laymen, but preferably, lay women, installed officially into the ministries of lector, acolyte and catechist and given canonical permission to baptize and witness marriages as well as all the other things that ordained deacons do, except giving formal blessings.

But, but, but, and correct me if I am wrong, I believe abbesses in monasteries were allowed to offer priestly blessings and some of these abbesses put on the “Episcopal glove” to do so. In fact, in the movie, The Sound of Music, the abbess, where Maria was, gave a priestly blessing to the monastic nuns at the end of Vespers, putting on the Episcopal glove!

Will we see “lay” deacons under Pope Leo? I ask; you answer! 

And while we’re at it, could a lay man, but preferably a lay woman, be giving permission to read the Gospel at Mass and preach the homily? Is ordination as a deacon or priest required for the reading of the Gospel at Mass or other Sacramental Liturgy? Certainly, though, lay men, but preferably lay women, could be given permission to preach homilies, correct?