A new guide for our deacons

By Simon Hart

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A chat with Father John McLoughlin, parish priest of Saint Stephen, First Martyr, in Warrington, can take you down some interesting paths.

 

Did you know, for example, that in his days as a student at All Hallows College, Dublin, in the early 1980s, Fr John was a classmate of Archbishop John Sherrington?

 

“He’s never changed,” he says of the Archbishop. “He’s always so kind and so generous and so gentle. And very hard-working. He’s been the same all through the time I’ve known him.” Here’s another one for you: Fr John is one of three siblings who chose the religious life, along with his brother Kevin, also a priest of this archdiocese, and sister Anne, who is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle. “My mother always wanted us to be happy and to be faithful to the Church – that’s all she asked, really,” he reflects.

 

The 35 years that Fr John has spent as a priest in the Archdiocese of Liverpool have included a wide variety of posts and experiences – from parishes to prisons, via hospitals and schools. That variety extends to a current role on the Historic Churches Committee for the northwest of England – covering not just Liverpool Archdiocese, but the dioceses of Shrewsbury, Salford, and Lancaster – yet it is his past work mentoring and forming priests that feels particularly pertinent as he discusses his latest challenge.

 

After all, in September Fr John was appointed as the director of the permanent diaconate, and his previous roles in the pastoral formation and ongoing formation of priests – not to mention as a tutor on the Liverpool diaconate programme – will serve him well. “One thing I wish to focus on is the ongoing formation of those who already are deacons,” says Fr John, who has already begun planning formation days as well as turning his thoughts to potential funding streams.

 

He describes the permanent deacon as being “part of the threefold ministry of ordination,” together with priests and bishops. “They’re distinct ministries that really dovetail and complement one another.”

 

And he offers a historical perspective on the deacon’s ministry within the Church. “From the earliest days of the Church, deacons have held a special place in the Christian community, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles. In chapter six, we’re told that the disciples continued their ministry of proclaiming the Word of God and chose seven men to distribute food to the widows.

 

“For this ministry, the disciples laid hands on the six deacons. The laying on of hands indicate that they weren’t only chosen but ordained for this ministry. This continues today as deacons are ordained to work alongside bishops and priests to serve the Church at the altar, in the proclamation and teaching of the Word, and in practical care for the poor, the sick, and the marginalised. They live and work among the people they serve, which gives them a unique ability to minister in hard-to-reach places.”

 

There are currently more than 50 serving deacons in the archdiocese. Alongside them are an active diaconate leadership team – who, he explains, “support each other in the various tasks needed to help and support the permanent diaconate” – and an archdiocesan council of deacons.

 

As he settles into his new position, Fr John wishes above all to highlight the contribution of those who occupied it before him. “I want to pay tribute to my predecessors, Monsignor Austin Hunt and Canon Christopher Fallon, for the tremendous work they’ve done over many years. During Mgr Hunt’s time I was one of the diaconate programme tutors, and Canon Fallon has been instrumental in developing the Northern Diaconal Formation Partnership.”

 

Finally, he has a message for anybody who might be considering becoming a permanent deacon. “If you think the Lord is calling you to serve as a deacon then why not have a chat with your parish priest?” he suggests. “Also, you may wish to attend one of the events we’re hosting for those who are thinking about the permanent diaconate.”

 

The next such event is on 25 November at St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith (Ashton-in-Makerfield), starting at 7pm. In the meantime, Father John can be contacted at St Stephen’s Warrington or via the following email: j.mcloughlin@rcaol.org.uk.