Appendix-10 - Archdiocese of Baltimore Policies

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 10 FACULTIES FOR DEACONS

ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE

The following faculties are granted to a deacon within the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. These faculties are granted by virtue of the universal law of the Church or of the authority of the Archbishop of Baltimore. They are valid from the present date until rescinded or otherwise limited or upon your leaving the Archdiocese.

No further expression of consent on the part of the Ordinary is needed for the lawful exercise in this Archdiocese of any faculty received from the Holy See (c. 68).
Deacons may assist in the Ministry of the Word to the people of God, in communion with the bishop and priests (c. 757). Accordingly, deacons may assist in the catechetical formation of the laity and may especially assist in the preparation of the faithful for the reception of the Sacraments (cc. 776 and 777).
Deacons may baptize infants or children, and adults whom they have instructed in the faith (cc. 861, §1; 863; 851). Baptism is to take place in the parish church or in the church where instructions were given (c. 857, §2).
Deacons may assist at the celebration of the Eucharist according to the rubrics and prescriptions of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and of other official liturgical documents.
Deacons may distribute the Eucharist outside Mass or lead the faithful in Eucharistic worship outside Mass, according to the approved rites for “Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass” (c. 910).
Deacons possess the faculty to preach everywhere in the world, unless this faculty has been restricted or removed by the competent Ordinary or unless express permission is required by particular law. This faculty should always be exercised with at least the presumed consent of the rector or pastor of the church (c. 764).
Deacons may validly assist at all marriages within the territory of the parish to which they are assigned. A deacon can delegate a specific priest or deacon to assist at a specific marriage within the territory of the parish to which he is assigned (c. 1111, §1 and §2)
In the case of danger of death, and only when the local Ordinary cannot be reached, deacons may dispense from the form prescribed for the celebration of matrimony and from all impediments of ecclesiastical law, except the impediment arising from the sacred order of the presbyterate (c. 1079, §1 and §2). In these cases, the deacon is to inform the local Ordinary of a dispensation granted for the external forum, and this dispensation is to be recorded in the marriage register (c. 1081).
Whenever an impediment to marriage is discovered and all the wedding preparations have been made and the marriage cannot be deferred without probable danger of serious harm until a dispensation can be obtained from competent authority, a deacon may dispense from all impediments of ecclesiastical law, except the impediments of crime and the impediments arising from sacred orders or from a public perpetual vow of chastity (cc. 1080, §1; 1078, §2). In these cases, the deacon is to inform the local Ordinary of a dispensation granted for the external forum, and this dispensation is to be recorded in the marriage register (c. 1081).
Deacons may lead the rites of funerals, both when they are not connected to the celebration of a funeral Mass and in other circumstances when a priest is not available. In these instances, the Second or Third Plan of the Rite of Funerals should ordinarily be followed.
Deacons may impart only those blessings that have been expressly committed to them by law (c. 1169, §3; general introduction to the Book of Blessings of the Roman Ritual, #18).