Letter from the Director of Deacons for Life

 

Dear Father Frank ,

 

I write to you on behalf of my brother deacons who are joined with Priests for Life through its diaconal outreach Deacons in Service of Life to express our prayerful solidarity and complete commitment to serving the vital mission of “Priests for Life” and the “Missionaries of the Gospel of Life”. Today we join in prayer with all of our brother clergy and all of the lay faithful who have joined this movement. We dedicate ourselves to the missionary task of reaching from the ambo and the altar into the world. …

 

 The mission of Deacons in the Service of Life is to unite, encourage, and provide ongoing training to deacons who give a special emphasis to the "life issues", especially abortion and euthanasia, in their ministries. …

 

Included among those who called for the restoration of the Diaconate at the Second Vatican Council were priest survivors of "The Deacons Circle." The Deacons Circle was comprised of priests who suffered at the dreadful Dachau death camp during World War II. Those dear priests prayed intensely for the Church and her mission in the world into which she is sent to carry forward in time the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. They also offered their suffering for Her authentic renewal. They believed that the Holy Spirit was calling for a re-institution of a permanent order of deacons to serve the Church in this missionary task. As members of Deacons for Life, we hope that we are a part of the fruit of that prayer.

 

Please know that we, as brothers joined in the Diaconate in Christ and diaconal members of Priests for Life, are ready to serve in this vital mission to proclaim the Gospel of Life and Build a New Culture of Life in this Third Christian Millennium.

 

Father Frank, your persevering prayer, heroic service and faithfulness to the Lord’s call have been a deep inspiration to me for many years. On this day, accept my congratulations and my brotherly pledge of loyalty and commitment in this wonderful work.

 

In the Lord and for His Church

Deacon Keith Fournier

Associate Director, Deacons for Life