The Legal Status of a Permanent Deacon as Specified by The Directory For the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons

Abstract

The article presents the legal status of a permanent deacon as specified by the Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons. First, we look at the issue of incardination, that is a special appointment of permanent deacons as servants of God within a diocese, personal prelature, or an institute or association of consecrated life that has a capability of incardination. Next, presented are the obligations of the ecclesiastics mentioned above, which follow from their ordination and incardination. Finally, their powers are discussed as they constitute a vital dimension of the legal status of a permanent deacon.