A permanent deacon (second right) proclaims the Gospel during Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Hong Kong on Nov. 13 2016. (ucanews.com photo)
A new survey by the Hong Kong Diocese has found that parishioners accept permanent deacons but do not fully understand their ministry.
The survey was conducted by the Catholic Studies Center of the Chinese University of Hong Kong over three years and was released April 23 with a more detailed version coming in June. It interviewed over 4,000 parishioners, clergy, deacons, nuns and seminarians.
Hong Kong Diocese in 1997 became the first Asian diocese of the Latin rite to ordain permanent deacons.
"The latest survey is the first research on the ministry since the last one was done 25 years ago in 1992 when the ministry was under preparation," said Father Dominic Chan, vicar general of Hong Kong Diocese.
"We feel grateful now that well over 90 percent of the clergy and faithful have accepted laymen to become permanent deacons. Less than 20 percent of the clergy accepted this in 1992," he told ucanews.com.
Although 70 percent of respondents welcomed permanent deacons in their parish, Father Louis Ha, head of the research project, suggested more education was needed as many interviewees said they did not know the details of the diaconate ministry.
"The lay respondents thought that there was not much difference between permanent deacons and lay church workers as they do similar tasks. This shows that they do not have a clear vision of the ministry devised in the Second Vatican Council," he said.
The permanent diaconate is an ordained ministry in the Catholic Church with three essential functions: the proclamation of the Gospel, the service of the liturgy and the administration of charitable works.
There are more than 44,000 permanent deacons around the world, mostly in the West.
At present, Hong Kong Diocese has 21 active deacons and six candidates. "Growth is steady with two to three new applicants every year," said Father Chan, chair of the Permanent Deacon Commission.
"The applicants have to be over 40 years old. Currently, the deacons are all married men, except one, but they are not all retirees as we don't want to create an impression that it is a second career for retired Catholics," said the priest.
The deacons serve in parish and charity services, with 50 percent of them involved in prison care, funeral services, care for the elderly and pastoral work for marriage and family. They also go to share their experience with Chinese Catholic communities that are interested in the ministry, such as Macau, mainland China and Taiwan.