Apostolic Nuncio to Australia Archbishop Charles Balvo highlighted the important role that deacons play in the Church following his attendance at the 2025 National Deacons Conference in Adelaide. Source: The Southern Cross.
The American bishop delivered the address at the Deacon Nick Kerr Memorial Dinner and joined more than 80 attendees from around Australia at the four-day conference held at the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre in Hahndorf from February 27 to March 2.
Archbishop Balvo said that after his ordination to the priesthood in 1976 he had two parish assignments before undertaking studies in Canon Law, which led to his current role.
Both parishes had benefitted from the presence and ministry of permanent deacons, who were among the early candidates ordained for the New York Archdiocese.
“I shared with them a number of responsibilities, such as sacramental preparation programs, and in my second parish, the deacon and his wife coordinated the parish religious education program, which enrolled more than 3500 children,” he said.
“Over the years of my diplomatic service, I have met permanent deacons, in several countries, who were committed to a variety of apostolates, including prison and hospital chaplaincies.
“Similarly, here in Australia, permanent deacons are an important part of the carrying out of the mission of the Church, of evangelisation and the works of charity.”
While he has previously participated in two national assemblies of deacons, Archbishop Balvo said this was the first time he was welcomed to take part in the whole assembly.
“In a particular way, throughout the assembly, I appreciated the spirit of service and communion that characterised the permanent deacons as well as the importance of the presence of their wives, and their devotion to family life,” he said.
There are more than 200 permanent deacons nationwide and approximately 45,000 worldwide.
It was announced that the next National Deacons Conference will be hosted by deacons from the Archdiocese of Brisbane, together with deacons from throughout Queensland, in 2027.
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Diplomat praises ministry of deacons (By Jenny Brinkworth, The Southern Cross)
