By Nicole Falco
Historically, the role of a deacon in the early church was as a helper to priests and bishops in spreading the word of God to the community. The call to the diaconate was a calling all its own. Like priests and bishops, deacons were ordained ministers. But by the Middle Ages deacons had come to be only thought of as men on their way to becoming priests.
During Vatican II, a special council of cardinals held from 1962-1965, a period of reform in the church, the diaconate was restored as a vocation separate from priesthood. Among the reasons for restoration was a shortage of priests.
In recent years, deacons have become an integral part of the daily life of a parish. Holy Name of Mary Parish has four deacons in addition to Pastor Thomas Harold and Associate Pastors James Maltese and Saji George; Blessed Sacrament has three deacons and there will likely be a fourth next year in addition to Pastor Greg Cappuccino and Associate Pastor Frank Nelson. There are more than 200 deacons in churches throughout the Diocese of Rockville Centre and twice as many priests.
In June, each parish said good-bye to a long-time priest. There are no plans to permanently replace the voids left by Rev. Stephen Brigandi of Holy Name or Rev. Aloysius Pakianather of Blessed Sacrament. In both parishes the remaining priests, the deacons and devout laity will fulfill the churches' work.
In a letter published in the church bulletin to the Blessed Sacrament congregation upon Pakianather's reassignment, Cappuccino wrote, "Many of you participated in the survey that we did last year. ... This past year we have analyzed the data and observed Sunday Masses. We found that it would be difficult to have one less Mass on the weekend. For the next year Fr. Frank and I will keep the mass schedule as it has been. We have requested that the deacons preach more often on Sunday and they have agreed to help us with that."
Deacon Sal Marino and Deacon Tony Cuseo are two of the six deacons currently serving in Valley Stream.
"I would presume that we would be invited to preach more, asked to do more wakes, more weddings, more baptisms and maybe more office duty, but always at the discretion of the pastor," Cuseo said.
Cuseo of Holy Name of Mary received the sacrament of Holy Orders and was ordained a deacon in 1996; Marino of Blessed Sacrament received the sacrament of Holy Orders and was ordained a deacon in 1994.
Marino said he believes the diaconate to be a "calling given to you by God." Cuseo said, "Since Vatican II, the Church has come to realize that all of us - bishops, priests, deacons, laity - all have very significant roles to play in the life of the church."
The decision to prepare to become a deacon was not one that was made lightly by either man. Both men reflected and prayed prior to making the decision to study for the diaconate, a process that now takes five years; previously it took four years. In both cases, it can be said that they had prepared for their chosen vocation most of their lives having taken active roles in their parishes.
"My wife [Faye] and I were always involved in parish work. We ran a Pre-Canna program at St. Claire's in Rosedale and have been involved [in church life] since the day we got married," Marino said. "When we were kids we would go to church daily. I go to mass every day, that has continued from my childhood. A major part of my life is having a relationship with God, which is what I think being a deacon is all about. Being a deacon is about bringing God to others."
Cuseo, who served on the parish council of his former church in Elmont as a Eucharistic Minister and lector throughout the 1980s, said, "I was always of the religious type. ... Most saw [my becoming a deacon] as a natural progression."
Married men like Marino, who has been married almost 29 years, are allowed to be ordained deacons once they have been married to the same woman for 10 years, but single men like Cuseo who have already been ordained a deacon took a vow of celibacy upon their ordination. A deacon who becomes widowed may not remarry unless granted dispensation.
At Holy Name, Cuseo is the only one of the four deacons who is single and without children. Pastor Harold said the different backgrounds and careers of the four men allow them to bring unique perspectives to their preaching and ministries. Family and career come first in the life of a deacon.
Most deacons have full-time jobs. Cuseo is a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company and Marino is a high school teacher. Cuseo is also a certified spiritual mentor, serves as co-director of Holy Name's baptismal program and is a member of the Greater Youth Council of Valley Stream. Cuseo recently earned a bachelor's degree in theology from St. John's University. Marino ran the baptismal program at Blessed Sacrament for 10 years until a recent sabbatical. He is a chaplain for the Valley Stream Fire Department and is studying for a master's degree in theology.
Bishops may enjoy the fullness of the priesthood and priests may administer all sacraments except Holy Orders. Deacons, like priests and bishops, are clergymen, but their role is limited to the sacraments of marriage and baptism and officiating at funerals. Deacons may also administer Holy Communion, but cannot consecrate it and they may read from and preach the Gospel.
Since deacons do not wear a distinctive dress to symbolize their vocation when they are not serving at Mass, Cuseo said he hopes the call he received is apparent to others in his actions.
"When people know you are a deacon you are always on call. You are on call to be the presence of Christ to whomever calls whenever you meet them," Cuseo said.
Both men agreed that the number of deacons in the Church has grown and with a declining number of priests, deacons may be asked to fulfill church needs. However, their faith tells them that any growth in the number of men who have entered the diaconate is God's work.
"I think you will see in the future deacons doing much more than they do now with the number of priests diminishing," Marino said. "The Holy Spirit moves people more now in the parish because of the number of priests diminishing. Can there be more deacons? Well, if God inspires more men there will be ministries for them."
