Deacon Leo Poole, diocesan Director of Permanent Diaconate, shares his thoughts on the Jubilee of Deacons

Diocesan Deacons Tim Anthony, and his wife Katy, Dirk Hermans, with his wife Marleen, Lionel Pelloquin and I attended the three-day Jubilee of Deacons event, which was held in Rome, from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 February 2025. Deacon Antony Hartley was also in Rome.

It brought over 6,000 pilgrims to the Eternal City, from some 100 countries around the world. The largest group, with almost 4,000 permanent deacons, and their families, come from Italy. Also present were 1,300 from the United States, 656 from France, 350 from Spain, 230 from Brazil, 160 from Germany, and 150 from Mexico. 

Large groups also came from Poland, Colombia, the United Kingdom and Canada. Among the other countries represented were Cameroon, Nigeria, India, Indonesia and Australia.

It all began on Friday afternoon when we were welcomed in language groups in 12 separate churches in the centre of Rome. 

At the Basilica di Sant'Andrea della Valle, after beginning in Prayer of the Church, our English language group of Deacons and wives heard from Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost OSA. The Catechesis had the guiding theme of Concrete signs of hope in the diaconal ministry.

Cardinal Robert reminded us of Pope Francis' words, “We are all invited to place our vocation in the light of God's world” and told us that we are all part of the people of God.

We are not ‘above’. God 'stooped down' to become man, lower in order to serve. To love is to serve; to serve is to reign. He reminded us that the duty of the Deacon above all is works of charity for the poor. A willingness to open our hearts to the will of God. Everyone who has a need must be welcomed. Pope Francis calls us to be:

•    humble (“of the earth”)
•    good spouses, fathers and grandfathers, doing everything with joy
•    act as sentinels to seek out the poor, and to help the community spot the poor in the distance.
This should be the profile of the Diaconate throughout the world.

On the Saturday morning, we attended the International Meeting 'Deacons in a Synodal and Missionary Church: Witnesses of Hope', organised by the Dicastery for the Clergy, held at the Auditorium Conciliazione with simultaneous translations.

We were welcomed by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung Sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, and heard Deacons’ testimonies from various countries outlining the current situation where they minister. A testimony was given also by the International Network of Diaconate Spouses.

Then there were two excellent presentations:

A framework for reflection: by Dr Serena Noceti (Doctor of Theology, Professor of Systematic Theology at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences of Tuscany “S. Caterina”) on The diaconal ministry in a synodal and missionary Church: To be witnesses of hope.

A path for the future: Fr Dario Vitali (priest of the Diocese of Velletri-Segni; professor of Ecclesiology at the Pontifical Gregorian University) The Ratio Formationis and the Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons: a path to be updated.

At the end of the session, it was announced that the Dicastery for the Clergy is inviting all permanent deacons to complete the questionnaire dedicated to The Vocation, Ministry, and Formation of Deacons in the Catholic Church. The questionnaire is to gather experiences, reflections and suggestions in preparation for an International Conference on the Diaconate, which will be held at the Vatican in 2026. The questionnaire will help create a clearer picture of the diaconate today and enhance the role of deacons in the Church’s mission. 

We then gathered outside in various language groups of about 50 and made a Pilgrimage walk with prayers up the Via della Conciliazione to and through the Holy Door and into St Peter’s Basilica.

The Jubilee of Deacons continued on the Saturday evening in the Paul VI Audience Hall with a Prayer Vigil at which the Book of the Gospels was enthroned and during which we renewed our Diaconal promises. 

The Jubilee event concluded on the Sunday morning when we gathered at 7am to pass through security and vest in the Paul VI Audience Hall. We were presented with a Jubilee stole and then processed into St Peter's Basilica for Holy Mass at which 23 new deacons from eight countries were ordained by Archbishop Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who had been delegated by Pope Francis to preside in his absence at the ceremony.

His Grace read from the Pope’s Homily in which, drawing from the readings of the day, he encouraged us to be apostles of forgiveness, selfless servants and builders of communion. 

Read Homily in full

We also prayed for His Holiness, who was receiving treatment in Rome's Gemelli Hospital. 

Archbishop Fisichella said “In the Eucharistic celebration, where communion takes on its fullest and most meaningful dimension, we feel Pope Francis - though in a hospital bed - close to us, present among us. This compels us to make our prayer even stronger and more fervent, so that the Lord may assist him in this time of trial and illness.”

We returned home as suitably tired Pilgrims of Hope with happy memories of a blessed time together both during the events of the day and the good food and wine in the evenings.