The Deacons in the Czech and Moravian Dioceses

Nowadays, pastoral ministry is understood more in its diaconal dimension than it used to be over the past decades. In the Catholic Church, deacons are involved in it in a specific way. Their ministry is still a new phenomenon looking for its identity. The above text is dealing with two questions: firstly, how the deacons in the Czech and Moravian dioceses exercise their diaconal ministry, and secondly, if there are any potential candidates interested in diaconate. As for the first question, the text introduces the results of a qualitative research (using structured interview) conducted within a group of 25 deacons. As far as the other question is concerned, there are the results from questionnaires given to the theology students (excluding candidates of priestly ordination) at St. Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology, Palacký University, and at the Faculty of Theology, University of South Bohemia. About one third of the total number of permanent deacons in the Czech Republic, which is 136, work in pastoral ministry full-time, others do this work voluntarily, and few are employed by the Church outside the pastoral area. The text is dealing with the motives of becoming deacon and their gradual development, with the question of prospective priestly ordination if possible, and finally with the students' interest in diaconate or non-celibacy priesthood.

Keywords: pastoral ministry; deacons; priesthood