Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Married man, D’Monte, is now deacon, to ACT as priest
CAMIL PARKHE
 
http://www.sakaaltimes.com/20120425/5040630968061290313.htm
 
Sakal Times
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 AT 11:09 AM (IST)
PIMPRI: For the first time in the history of the 126-year-old Pune Catholic diocese, a married person, Roy D'Monte, was ordained  a deacon by Bishop Thomas Dabre at Pimpri Church on Monday  evening.  The ordination of a married  person  as a deacon  marks historic departure from the centuries-old-practice of  the Catholic Church permitting only the celibate clergy to administer all sacraments and  perform various religious rites.

D'Monte is an administrator at the Jesuits-run Loyola High School in Pashan and has been active in the religious and other activities of the Pune diocese for many years.

He is a parishioner of the Our Lady of Consoler of Afflicted Church in Pimpri. His wife Juliet and daughters Renita (24) and Ramona (22) also active in their local church activities.

Speaking to Sakal Times, Bishop Dabre said  that the new deacon, D'Monte,  is empowered to  perform all duties of a clergy -- deliver sermons in churches, administer  sacraments like baptism, bless marriages,  distribute the holy communion and also perform the last rites at funerals. Celebration of the mass and hearing confessions are the only two religious duties of a priest he will not be allowed to do. 

Significantly, even nuns, who who take the oath of celibacy are not allowed to carry out duties as entrusted to the married deacons.

Mumbai archdiocese was the first diocese in the country to ordain married men as deacons for performing duties and responsibilities of the clergy.

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