How do you view the priesthood and diaconate? The way the secular world looks at Holy Orders may not be the way the Church sees it.

🌟 The Diaconate and Priesthood: More Than Just Labels! Fr. Richard Simon kicks off by tackling the terms “permanent” and “transitional” deacons. He’s not a fan of these labels, arguing that, at the end of the day, a deacon is a deacon, period! 🚫

🌟 The Hebrew and Greek Roots: It’s All About Service! He then enlightens you with a linguistic journey, revealing that ‘diakonos’ (Greek) and ‘shamash’ (Hebrew) essentially boil down to being a helper or a table waiter. Yep, you heard it right, waiting tables! 🍽️✨

🌟 Ministry = Table Service? Fr. Simon throws a curveball by explaining that ‘ministry’ actually means table service. So, when someone boasts about their “ministry,” they’re essentially bragging about their skills in table waiting.

🌟 A Slice of Humor with a Side of Reality He shares a funny anecdote that reveals that ‘diakonos’ isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. It’s about humility and service, often performed by slaves in ancient times. 🙇‍♂️

🌟 Holy Orders: The Ultimate Table Service Fr. Simon sees the diaconate as an integral part of holy orders. He believes that a lot of what a parish priest does is akin to the service of table waiting. And guess what? He’s a deacon too! 🎉

🌟 Apostles and Table Waiting: A Surprising Connection He dives into a biblical reference where the apostles appoint deacons as table waiters to settle disputes. 📖

🌟 A Proud Father:  Fr. Simon wraps up with a letter from Steve who talks about his son’s ordination, reminding you that every calling is a gift from God. 🙏

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