The Deacon at Mass

 

Common Duties in the Liturgy (Our Lady Star of the Sea - Marblehead)

In the event that there are two Deacons assisting at the celebration of the Eucharist, one functions as Deacon of the word from the beginning of Mass through the prayers of intercession; the other Deacon functions as Deacon of the liturgy of the Eucharist from the preparation of the altar through the dismissal rite.

1. Entrance Procession - There are generally three (3) options for the procession in our parish.  All of them start in the sacristy and we line up behind the cross (eucharistic ministers, lectors, deacon(s), priest/celebrant ... ) and either go straight across the front of the sanctuary, go half way into the Nave (where the table with the gifts is) before processing back to the sanctuary, or go all the way out to the narthex before processing back in ...
• [With the Book of the Gospels] Carrying the Book of the Gospels slightly elevated – so that one’s eyes see over the Book of the Gospels [or overhead where one's eye see just below the Book of the Gospels ... which is my preference ... The Lectionary is never carried in the Entrance Procession]  - the Deacon precedes the Priest Celebrant and, if present vested Deacons and/or concelebrating Priests.  When the Deacon reaches the altar he omits the sign of reverence and goes directly to the altar and lays the Book of the Gospels on the altar. Then, together with the Priest Celebrant he venerates the altar with a kiss.  If incense is used: The Deacon assists the Priest Celebrant in putting some incense into the thurible.  After the incensation of the altar, he goes to the chair together with the Priest, takes his place at the Priest’s side and assists him as necessary.
• [Without the Book of the Gospels] During Ordinary Time and other days of lesser solemnity the Book of the Gospels would not be carried in procession and incense would not be used.  The Deacon walks at the Priest’s side [or just ahead of] in the entrance procession.  The Deacon makes a profound bow to the altar with the Priest [our tabernacle is Not in the sanctuary] and then with him venerates the altar with a kiss.  Then the Deacon goes to the chair together with the Priest and there stands at the Priest’s side and assists him as necessary
2. Penitential Rite:  The Priest Celebrant leads Form A and Form B of the Penitential Rite.  The Priest Celebrant, Deacon, cantor, or choir may lead Form C of the Penitential Rite.  The Priest invites the faithful to make the Penitential Act: "Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries."
• The first option is often called the Confiteor, after the first word of the prayer in Latin. It begins, “I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned…” This is recited by all the faithful together and ends with an absolution by the priest celebrant.
• In second option, the priest celebrant says, “Have mercy on us, O Lord,” and the people reply, “For we have sinned against you.” Then the priest says, “Show us, O Lord, your mercy,” with the people replying, “And grant us your salvation.”
• For the third option, the Roman Missal says, “The Priest, or a Deacon or another minister” leads a triple invocation of God’s mercy. Each part of the invocation ends with Kyrie, eleison (Lord, have mercy), Christe, eleison (Christ, have mercy), Kyrie, eleison (Lord, have mercy).  The Deacon should have at least one version [found in the Roman Missal] of the third form memorized (we have a book with optional versions at the Deacon's chair) ... 
• You were sent to heal the contrite of heart ... Lord have mercy
• You came to call sinners ... Christ have mercy
• You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us ... Lord have mercy
3. Gospel Acclamation - The deacon has two primary responsibilities in the Liturgy of the Word — the proclamation of the holy Gospel and the announcement of the intentions in the Prayer of the Faithful.  If there is no lector present, the Deacon should proclaim the other readings as well.  
• When the Deacon stands the music for the Gospel Acclamation begins and all present stand. The Deacon makes a profound bow before the Priest and asks for his blessing, saying in a low voice, “Your blessing, Father.”  After placing the Book of the Gospels on the ambo the Deacon greets the people, with hands joined, saying, “The Lord be with you.”  At the words, “A reading from the holy Gospel”, he signs with his thumb the book and then himself on his forehead, mouth, and breast.
• After the reading, he acclaims without raising the Book of the Gospels: “The Gospel of the Lord,” to which all respond: “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.”  Then he venerates the book with a kiss and the deacon says inaudibly: “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.”   The Deacon may carry the Book of the Gospels to the credence table or another suitable and dignified place.
• The Homily should ordinarily be given by the Priest Celebrant himself, or be entrusted by him to a concelebrating Priest, or from time to time and, if appropriate, to the Deacon.  [I am typically preaching the homily one weekend each month, where at the 9 am family Mass where the Priest will often take the children back into the sacristy before the first reading and return with them during the Universal Prayer]  
4. Prayer of the Faithful - After [the Creed and] the introduction by the Priest, it is the Deacon himself who normally announces the intentions of the Universal Prayer, usually from the ambo.  The Deacon remains at the ambo until the Priest has finished the closing prayer.  My Pastor usually drafts the Prayer of the Faithful; although it is common in other parishes for the Deacon to do so.  There is a small three (3) ringed binder that can be used in the absence of a print out.  Write no less than five and no more than six petitions for liturgy.  The series of intentions is usually to be:
• The needs of the universal church. This category includes petitions for the pope, bishops and pastors of the Church, missions, Christian unity, and vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
• Public authorities and the salvation of the world. This category includes petitions for peace, leaders of government, elections, respect for the freedom of the Church, good weather, the safety of crops, and the resolution of economic crises.
• People burdened by any kind of difficulty. This category includes those burdened by poverty or any other tribulation, the unborn, the persecuted, the unemployed, the sick and infirm, the dying, prisoners, and exiles, to name a few.
• Local community. This category represents the local community of faith. People to pray for may include those in the church preparing for baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, holy orders, or marriage; it also includes prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased. This is where specific parish needs should be communicated: for the upcoming Youth Mission Trip, for the success of the Capital Campaign, etc.
• Silent prayers. At times offer the opportunity for the congregation to silently offer their private prayer. This final petition need only be offered every few weeks or months.
• For Deceased [Family, Friends and Parishioners] and Mass Intentions.
5. After the Universal Prayer, the Deacon prepares the altar, assisted by the acolyte. He takes care of the sacred vessels and assists the Priest in receiving the people’s gifts or receives them himself.  We are a small church, so this all happens fairly quickly for us and I generally task the altar service to receive the gifts with Priest while I prepare the altar.  Usually the celebrant priest carries the paten with the host to the altar and begins his part before waiting for me to give him the chalice.
• Taking the Missal and the corporal from the altar server [or directly from the credence table], setting up the Missal as preferred by the celebrant (one likes it flat on the altar and the other want on a small stand), then opening the corporal ... trying to ensure it is centered on the altar with the red cross toward the celebrant (if possible).  In general, I have found that if I unfold the right side first, the cross is correctly oriented.
• Then the Deacon prepares the Chalice at the credence table, taking cruet of wine and then of water from the altar server and pouring it into the Chalice while quietly saying “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”   The Deacon then hands the Chalice with the Purificator to the celebrant priest who quietly says his part before placing the Chalice on the corporal.  If used, place the pall on the Chalice (only one of our two priests use the pall here).
• If there is no altar server, the Deacon will bring the bowl, water and towel for the celebrant to wash his hands before returning them to the credence table.  When the altar service does this, I use the opportunity to move to the other side of the altar (to be on the celebrant's right).
6. The Eucharistic Prayer
• During the Eucharistic Prayer, the Deacon stands near the Priest but slightly behind him, so that when necessary he may assist the Priest with the chalice or Missal.  If there are concelebrating Priests, he stands behind them.  I have not been asked to help with the Missal, so usually stand slightly behind and on the right side of the celebrant.  If the pall is used on the Chalice, the Deacon (or Priest) should remove it prior to the epiclesis (during the Sanctus or Hosannah). 
• Deacons should note that the timing of their kneeling is different from the timing of the kneeling for the rest of the worshipping assembly. The deacon kneels from the time of the epiclesis – when the priest extends his hands over the gifts of bread and wine calling for the Holy Spirit – until the time “when the chalice is shown” (after the elevation) which would be after the consecration.  If more than one Deacon is assisting at the altar, both should assume the same posture (i.e., if they can both kneel, they kneel; if only one can kneel, they both stand).  After this, return the pall to the Chalice if used.
• After the Eucharistic Prayer (Be familiar with each version - we must often use prayer II) at the Final Doxology (Through Him ... ) the Deacon, standing next to the Priest, receives from the Priest the chalice [for our parish, the Deacon will remove the pall, if used, and pickup the Chalice directly from the corporal when indicated to do so by the Priest]. The Priest elevates the paten and the Deacon the chalice. Both vessels are elevated until the Great Amen has been completed.  Return the Chalice to the same spot from which it was taken.  After this, return the pall to the Chalice if used.
7. The Sign of Peace - After the priest has said the prayer for peace and the greeting “The peace of the Lord be with you always” and the people have made the response “And with your spirit,” the deacon may invite all to exchange the sign of peace, saying, with hands joined and facing the people: “Let us offer each other the sign of peace.”  He himself receives the sign of peace from the priest and may offer it to the other ministers near him.  After this, I typically will retrieve the ciboria with Blessed Hosts from the Tabernacle to the right of the altar (facing) and bring it to the altar and redistribute the hosts between all of the vessels (patens) that will be used to distribute communion (usually four).
8. The Distribution of Holy Communion - Following the Fraction Rite and after the Priest’s Communion, the Deacon receives Communion under both species from the Priest himself.  
• Then each Minister of Holy Communion is given a vessel holding the Blessed Host to distribute to the congregation.  If Communion is given under both species, the Deacon administers the chalice to the communicants (My parish doesn't current do this).  
• After the distribution of Communion, if there is Precious Blood remaining in the chalices, standing at the altar, the Deacon immediately and reverently consumes all of the Precious Blood that remains and gathers the hosts, if any remain. 
• Either a Priest or a Deacon then reposes the hosts in the tabernacle.  
• After the hosts are reposed in the tabernacle, the chalice and other sacred vessels are carried to the credence table where the Deacon purifies and arranges them in the usual way. 
9. Announcements
• Unless the Priest prefers to make the announcements himself, the Deacon makes any brief announcements following the Prayer After Communion. The announcements are made from the chair, if the Deacon is using a microphone, or from the cantor/commentator stand, but never from the ambo.
• When a Prayer over the People or a formula of Solemn Blessing is used, the Deacon, using these words says, “Bow down for the blessing.”  This is probably where I have made the most mistakes ... timing this over simply saying the dismissal.  If I have not coordinated with the celebrant prior to the Mass about a Solemn Blessing, if the Priest pauses the concluding rite before the "The Lord be with you ..." blessing, I assume he is waiting for this.
• After the Priest’s blessing, the Deacon, with hands joined and facing the people, dismisses them, saying one of the following formularies provided in the Missal:
• “Go forth, the Mass is ended.”
• “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.”
• “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”  [favorite]
• “Go in peace.”
10. The Recessional
• The Deacon does not carry out the Book of the Gospels since all of the members of the liturgical assembly carry God’s Word in them as they go to live the mission of Christ.
• With the Priest, the Deacon venerates the altar with a kiss, makes a profound bow - if the tabernacle is in the sanctuary, the Deacon genuflects with the Priest - and walks beside the Priest in the recessional.