In the Catholic Church, can someone remain a deacon indefinitely? What is the exact role of a deacon?
822490
There are two types of deacon - transitional deacons and permanent deacons.  Transitional deacons are those people who are studying and preparing for the priesthood.  First you are a deacon, then you are a priest.\n\npermanent deacons are those people who will be deacons all of their lives.  Many married men have become deacons.\n\nA deacon is an ordained minister and it is a life long vocation, except when the deacon later becomes a priest.  A deacon received the sacrament of Holy Orders and has pastoral duties.  Many deacons have careers outside of the parish.  \n\nA deacon is like a priest's helper.  He can give the homily at Mass, he can baptize persons and officiate at the Sacrament of Matrimony.  He cannot administer the sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, or consecrate the bread and wine at Mass.  Many times, the deacon is a spiritual counselor at the church.
12175
He only has actual power within the limits of the Vatican.  However, being the absolute authority of the Catholic Church, he exerts great influence throughout the world.
1131888
To be fully initiated into the Catholic Church, one must be baptized, confirmed, and receive their first communion. Confirmation happens at an age when individuals are old enough to decide for themselves whether they want to be Catholic or not. One can be baptized in the Catholic Church and then go join another church.
1176604
From what I can find, there is no Biblical authorization for the type hierarchy in the Catholic church and in other denominations.  Each church should be independent, served by elders and deacons.  Those elders are only over the congregation they serve and they are responsible for and to them.  No bureaucracy.\n\nBad people can and will use any means available to them in order to accomplish their will.  God will hold them accountable.\n\nWhat they did to you is inexcusable.  I hope that you can be free of the pain it has left you with.
112294
It would require some understanding as to the decision making process in the Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church is a highly varied body.  There is more internal variation inside the Catholic Church than there is across all of Protestantism.  All Protestant groups have an analog within the Church, the reverse is not true.\n\nFirst, the bible was canonized 350 years after the death of Jesus.  There wasn't a book someone could call the bible to cite as a reference.  They often did cite the scriptures, but they were not referring to the NT in the early Church.  They did also cite that which was handed on, traditio, from the apostles.  The bible is part of what was handed on, but not the whole of what was handed on.\n\nIn the early Church women were not ordained to the major orders, deacon, priest or bishop.  There were deaconesses, but their ordinations were different from the men.  Because early Christians did not do it, the Church cannot change it now.  When John Paul II was asked to rule on ordaining women, he ruled he could not change anything.  Popes and bishops may not make changes to beliefs, even if those beliefs no longer make sense.  Just because roles have changed does not change what was handed on.  Jesus was pretty radical, if he had wanted Mary Magdalene to be an Apostle, he could have made her one.  None of the Twelve, or the Seventy were women.  This may simply have been practical for some reason.  Nonetheless, what is is.\n\nUnlike Protestants who get to vote at conferences about what they believe, the rule in the Catholic Church is simple.  What did the early Christians believe and do?  That guides everything else.
1175022
Well if you're looking to become a priest it might get really complicated. Plus if you were to go to a convent it would get even more confusing. \n\nCatholic priests are not supposed to have a wife and children (no Christian is supposed to divorce, if the priest knows a person has been divorced he can not give them Communion). As for just a part of the basic clergy like an usher or a minister I'm not so sure on the rules but if you're looking to be a priest or have some position like it in the church it's probably not going to happen if you're Catholic.\n\nAs for what you should actually do, I'd say continue on with your basic life with your wife and kids. You can volenteer for lots of stuff at your church since there should be a lot of things going on (this is just from thoughts of my own church) and volenteers are always welcome. So basically I think you can fulfill this "calling" simply by keeping your basic life and just volenteering. I know you're sitting there saying "Wait, this looks too simple." Well in theory it's enough since service to God is a service that He will never forget no matter how much that service is.
21864
Baptism is forever.  Your choice of religious affliation is not.
1023422
When a child is baptized it is in the name given by the parents at birth.\nWhen the child becomes confirmed - they pick their own name, as they are now considered to be an adult in the eyes of the church.  Once they are confirmed they are allowed to become Eucharistic ministers, and be on the board (any board), and if there is an issue brought before the congregation they are allowed to vote.\nHope this helps.
870167
Whether or not you are Catholic is not a question of legality. It is a question of Spirituality.\n\nTry to think of your Baptism's wider implications. The Catholic Church recognizes and respects baptisms that take place in other Christian denominations. That is because, once baptized, we become members of His church; either directly as Catholics, or indirectly as non-Catholic Christians.\n\nOnce Baptized, you are considered Christian. In your case, a Catholic Christian. You may be inactive in your church, but that does not in any way nullify your baptism.
416907
Don't blame the deacon; you see, he went through the same procedure when he was baptised... it's only normal that he was traumatised by it, that he just HAD to become a deacon... so, behold: a new Ted Bundy was borne... ask your deacon his name: he'll say: it's Bundy... Ted Bundy... (not to be confused with Al Bundy - although at some level, if we look careful enough, I'm sure we'd find stricking resemblances).\n\nIt all unfolded pretty much likle this: your deacon was baptised by a psycho deacon... he (your deacon) was also held under water until he saw his Grandma calling him to the light... he didn't go into the light (although I'm pretty sure that after all the long hard years that followed, years full of shock-therapy & changing shrinks, he would have wished he had went into the lighht)... So, wehere was I?... oh, yah: after NOT going into the light, at the age of about 16 he could hear a calling (no, wait, at that time ha was still under shock-therapy - so it must have probably been the voioce of his Grandma again)... at about 18 he heard a calling (a loud, demanding voice) telling him to become a priest and thus fulfill his Divine mission... At first, he just thought it was the voice of his Grandma again (a little thicker because of all those damn cigarettes & lung cancer) - but, no ! As he soon discovered, it wasn't his Grandma it was... someone else (of course, he was thrilled and overbursting with joy - after 18 years, you can imagine he was pretty sick & tired of talking to his Grandma)\nSo, this other non-Grandma voice told him to become a priest... Our dear miserable deacon said "No. I don't to be a priest. I'm so fu_cking young. I want TO LIVE...LIVE !!!". But the voice said that if he doesn't become a priest, his Grandma would start talking to him again - FOREVER.... so, he became a priest.\nAfter fooling around with other priests (bare in mind that he was searching for his Divine purpose) he then heard The Voice again: telling him to become a deacon at your church... Our dear deacon was - understandable enough - very surprised. He asked The Voice :"Why go there?". The Voice said that it was his destiny and there he'll discover his Divine purpose...\nOnce settled at this tiny church, he begun looking for his Purpose, when he heard The Voice again: this time telling him to baptise as many as he could...because he will find The One...\nSo, our dear deacon baptised, and baptised. He baptised in a day more then some baptised in a month... Untill he finally found The One...\nWhen he came across The One, The Voice spoke to him again and said:"Hold this little One under water untill he can hear his Grandma calling him to the light !"... And he held you (you were the next "One") under for a long long time... and he saw it was good...\n\nNow that I've revealed the source of your anxieties & the need for meds in the first place you can quit your job (U don't have to tell me, but I know you became a deacon too)... so, stop looking for YOUR Divine Mission 'cause you've found it : putting a smile on everyone's faces with each question you "plant" on Yahoo. (realy, this IS your Divine Purpose)...
28852
The leader of a congregation is called a priest.  Deacons aide a priest in his/her duties.  A bishop overlooks a diocese, which is kind of like a church district.
977615
The Church has adopted celibacy as a matter of discipline, not as a matter of doctrine.\n\nThe first 30 or 40 popes were free to marry, and most did.\nIt was not until the 12th century that celibacy became an obligation. The first problem with celibacy that surfaced in our own time was the realization that the clergy was useless when it came to advising married couples on sexual problems. Right now they are fighting over priest being allowed to marry. \n\nSo, to answer your question. Once upon a time, yes they could. Now they can't. Soon they will.
290544
It rather depends.  In a worst case scenario, assuming everyone is baptized, the two prospective spouses exchange vows in the presence of two witnesses.  There is no obligation that they have civil authority or that they are ordained to the ministry.  This assumes the ordinary method is unavailable.  Jesus said, "Whereever two or more are gathered in my name, I am there."  Therefore, marriage creates a church (an ecclesia or community of God).  As such, it should be celebrated within the community of believers, preferrably by a bishop or presbyter.  The Roman Patriarchate also permits Deacons to officiate weddings.\n\nIn the Eastern Church matrimony is separate from the divine liturgy, in the West it usually is included as part of the Mass.\n\nIf any of the above are not baptized, then its sacramentality is open to question per both Paul and Peter.
836370
It wouldn't be any different than one dying. The Holy Spirit would help in selecting a new Pope, and the Church would go on until Jesus returns in glory. That would be the day when whoever is the current Pope would hand the keys back over to Jesus.
468133
No, most christions believe that the choice is one that the person has to make, a baby cannot choose. In catholism, they have to go through confirmation, in prtestantism, they must declare to a preacher and stand up before a congregation that they believe that christ is their one true savior and then be baptisted.\n\nThe age that a person can do that vearies depending on the sect you talk to.
1136891
Like all ministries, first you have to be called by God.\n\nIf you are not Catholic, then you will have to become fully initiated into the Catholic Church.\n\nThen you need to study and become a priest and serve your fellow Christians unselfishly for many years.\n\nThen you may be selected to serve an entire diocese as a bishop, a successor of the Apostles.\n\nThen you may be selected by the Pope to the office of cardinal.\n\nThen you can vote for Pope until you are 70 years of age.\n\nGod bless you and your work on your journey of faith.\n\nWith love in Christ.
309936
Catholics are led by the pope (not "worship" him, though venerate him), and the nominal head of the Church of England is the Queen, or King when there is one.  Both are big on ritual, but Anglican priests are allowed to marry, and Catholic priests are not.  Also, confession is not the big deal formality in the Anglican church that it is in the Catholic Church.  Also, as you know from Henry VIII, Anglicans can divorce, while Catholics only get annulments.  (Although I understand they are a great deal easier to get than they used to be.)