Deacons from the Diocese of Parramatta were prominent at this year’s National Deacons Conference, which brought together deacons, aspirants and their wives from around Australia to learn, grow in fraternity and engage in ongoing formation.
Deacon John Collins was a keynote speaker and Deacons Tony Hoban and Roderick Pirotta did workshops on their roles as pastoral directors of parishes.
The Catholic diaconate is a permanent order of ordained ministry within the Church, distinct from both the priesthood and the laity. Deacons are ministers of the Church who are ordained by a bishop and serve by proclaiming the Gospel, preaching, distributing the Eucharist, baptising children, and assisting at weddings and funerals.
They may also be involved in various ministries, such as social justice work, prison ministry, hospital chaplaincy, youth ministry, chaplaincy after natural disasters and much more.
Hosted by the National Association of Deacons, an organisation that represents Catholic deacons in Australia, the biennial conference was held between 27 February and 2 March 2025 at the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre in Hahndorf.
The theme of this year’s conference was: ‘Pilgims of hope: Believe what you read, teach what you believe, practice what you teach.’
Deacon John Collins spoke on the topic of ‘Heart Spirituality and Synodality, Australian Deacons as Pilgrims of Hope: Some thoughts on the Final Document of the “Synod on Synodality” in conversation with the Encyclical Letter “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ”.’
“Perhaps the most challenging statement from the synodal final paper, for those of us who are ordained, is the sentence in paragraph 21, “[T]here is nothing higher than … baptismal dignity, equally bestowed upon each person”.
“The notion of radical equality as the fruit of baptismal dignity is of course, the ground of synodality as understood by Pope Francis,” Dcn John said.
“What implications might this teaching have for deacons?”
Other key speakers at the conference included Australia’s Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Balvo, former US Naval officer and academic Deacon Bill Ditewig, and Adelaide theologian Fr Michael Trainor. The conference Cross, created by Victorian Aboriginal artist, Vicki Clark, was on display throughout the conference as it has been for these biennial conferences over the past 12 years.
Deacon Ditewig’s two presentations at the conference explored ways for deacons to deepen their role as ministers of hope during the Jubilee Year of Hope and will reflect on the practical appreciation and application of the gifts of the diaconate.
Deacon Ditewig will also speak to deacons of the Diocese of Parramatta and other deacons from NSW and the ACT on 15 March at the Bede Heather Centre in Blacktown.
Chair of the National Association of Deacons, Deacon Tony Hoban from the Diocese of Parramatta (and former pastoral director of St Luke’s Marden Park) said, “These gatherings every two years are important times to come together and engage in ongoing formation.
“But they are also opportunities to support each other in a vocation which is sometimes either not well known or misunderstood by many in our Church.
“The 80 deacons and wives present at the conference gave important encouragement to each other, sharing both their joys in ministry but also their challenges.”
The conference wrapped up with the Deacon Nick Kerr Memorial Conference Dinner on Saturday night, honoring the former Chair of the Association who passed away almost four years ago. This was followed on Sunday morning by a closing Mass celebrated by Archbishop of Adelaide, Patrick O’Regan, with concelebrants Archbishop Balvo and Bishop of Port Pirie, Karol Kulczycki along with Fr Khalid Marogi, who heads the clergy life and ministry function for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
Find out more about our Diaconate on the Diocese of Parramatta website.
