A new survey by the Hong Kong Diocese has found that parishioners accept perma-nent deacons but do not fully understand their ministry.
The survey was conducted by the Catholic Studies Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong over three years and was released on 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.
