tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post7474847267156519700..comments2023-09-27T02:46:21.569-07:00Comments on Deacons Today: Musings on Diakonia and Diaconate: Point to Ponder #4: Deacon as Servant-LeaderDeacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-72334035975326877012010-11-27T19:22:45.374-08:002010-11-27T19:22:45.374-08:00It strikes me that a big downfall for prospective ...It strikes me that a big downfall for prospective servant-leaders is the Lone Ranger approach to ministry. Too many deacons at ordination seem to me to have the sense that they should be all things to all suffering people, and they soon face discouragement (and/or exhaustion). It seems to me they would do much better to keep in mind the leadership aspect of service in the Church.<br /><br />Building up the Church means building up the community, the People of God, where many faithful Catholics already serve in many different ways, some very quietly. As a cleric, the deacon is well positioned to provide some "institutional" backing (or at least stroking) to laypeople who may have received little recognition for the service they render. The deacon is also positioned to help some of those people broaden their network within the parish or diocesan community and perhaps better coordinate their efforts so that nobody has to play Lone Ranger and so that some real human needs are more adequately met.Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16858192358085762357noreply@blogger.com