Our Statutes
AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC DEACONS ASSOCIATION
A Private Association of Christ’s Faithful
Recognised by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
Saturday 3 May 2025
STATUTES
Preamble
The origins of the ministry of Deacon can be traced back to the days of the New Testament and were well established early in the life of the Church. In the First Letter to Timothy written c. 57AD the character of the ideal deacon is one who needs to be ‘be chaste, not double-tongued, not given to too much wine, and not driven by profit’ (1Tim.3:8-13). In Philippians 1:1, St Paul writes ‘To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.’
For centuries the diaconate flourished. Deacons served as bishops’ assistants and ambassadors and looked after the temporal goods of the Church. They also took the Gospel and Holy Eucharist to where the bishops could not go, and many deacons themselves became bishops and popes.
Over the years, however, as the priesthood grew in prominence the diaconate declined. After 800 AD, permanent deacons were rare, however Pope Gregory VII (1020-1085) was a deacon, and so was St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). Other examples are Pope Hadrian V, Cardinal Pole of England, and Giacomo Antonelli, Secretary of State of the Holy See 1848-1874.
Eventually, in the Latin Church, the diaconate survived only as an intermediate stage for candidates preparing for priestly ordination. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) resolved to restore the permanent diaconate, but no action followed. In the 1800s, some German theologians recommended that the diaconate be restored to promote the servanthood of the church.
During World War II, when thousands of priests were imprisoned in Dachau in Nazi Germany, they too discussed how the Church might more effectively serve the world after the war. They also proposed the return of deacons as ministers of charity and as new evangelisers. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) resolved to reintroduce the permanent diaconate as a full and equal order to promote the life of service and outreach for the whole Church.
Vatican II discerned that the diaconate, in conjunction with the episcopate and presbyterate, is an essential animating ministry ‘for the nurturing and constant growth of the People of God’ (LG 18). Ordained to be Ministers of the Gospel, deacons are called to evangelise, to spread the good news of God’s saving love, to introduce the entire world to Christ, the Word of God. Through baptism, all the faithful are called to be evangelists. All are anointed with Christ’s Spirit of true servanthood, supremely witnessed by Christ, the original and true deacon. Commissioned by the Father, the Son of God humbled himself, becoming the greatest through the self-emptying gift of himself in service to the people beloved by God. By virtue of their ordination, deacons are called to give expression to the mystery of Christ’s loving gift of himself to the Father for the sake of the world.
Pope Paul VI in his Apostolic Letters issued motu proprio, Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem (18 June 1967) and Ad Pascendum (15 August 1972) established general norms for the restored permanent Diaconate and the conditions for admission and ordination to the diaconate. The 1983 Code of Canon Law in canons 236 and 1037 now provides the laws regulating the permanent diaconate.
In 1998, Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons and the Directory for Permanent Deacons were issued by the then Congregation for Clergy and Congregation for Catholic Education. In Australia, National Norms and Guidelines were issued in 2016.
While it is acknowledged that there is no formal difference between ‘transitional’ and ‘permanent’ deacons, these terms have been useful in distinguishing those who are journeying towards priestly ordination and those, mostly married men, who are not proceeding to the priesthood.
In Australia, the first ‘permanent’ deacon, Vincent Dowdy, was ordained for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn on 6 August 1972 at St. Christopher’s Cathedral, Canberra. Since then, the vocation has developed gradually in many Australian dioceses.
For some years the National Council of Priests of Australia (NCP) invited all resident clerics in Australia, including deacons, to become members of the NCP. Specifically, on 21 December 2003, the NCP resolved to accept Deacons as members, and a committee was formed to support the needs of the growing ‘permanent’ diaconate. This group was known as the National Association of Deacons.
In 2023, the NCP confirmed that it was no longer able to support the deacons of Australia and advised that in future deacons would be best served by establishing their own independent association.
Following the movement of the Holy Spirit across the great south land of Australia, reading the signs of the times, and being aware of the call of the Holy Gospel and the needs of Christ’s faithful, we the deacons of the Catholic Church in Australia now constitute ourselves in a new association for service to the hierarchy of the Church and all the People of God.
In this way, we wish to further support the vision of Vatican II, in which a renewed diaconate serves the vital ministry of the People of God.
The patrons of the Association are St. Stephen, St Lawrence, St Ephraim and St Francis of Assisi.
Definitions
1. In these Statutes the following definitions apply:
Association means the Australian Catholic Deacons Association;
Bishops Conference means the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
Canon means the canons in the Code of Canon Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 25 January 1983 as amended from time to time;
Executive Committee means the Executive Committee of the Association established in accordance with these Statutes;
Financial Year means the twelve (12) months period commencing the 1st January in each year;
General Meeting means the Geneal Meeting of the Members;
President means the member of the Executive Committee holding the office of President of the Association and in his absence such other member of that Committee as designated by the Committee to preside at a meeting of the Committee;
Regulations means the Regulations established by the Executive Committee and endorsed by the Members of the Association at the General Meeting;
Statutes means the Statutes of the Association.
Canonical Status
2. The Australian Catholic Deacons Association is a private Association of Christ’s Faithful recognised, in accordance with canon 299 §3 CIC, by the Bishops Conference on Saturday 3 May 2025.
3. The Association is subject to the supervision and the governance of the Bishops Conference in accordance with canon 305 §1 CIC.
Purposes
4. The purposes for which the Association is established are:
- to raise community awareness of the ministry of deacons at the service of the mission of the Church;
- to provide opportunities for the support, spiritual enrichment and ongoing formation of the members, enabling them to serve more effectively in their ministry;
- to assist members to become more effective heralds of the Gospel;
- to organise a national conference biennially to profile issues relevant to the diaconate and to foster fellowship, learning and discussion. The conference will be coordinated by local deacons in a particular region chosen by the Executive Committee;
- to organise forums for the exchange of information and ideas concerning the diaconate in Australia;
- to secure benefits for members, such as discounts on books, religious supplies and clothing, and member-only events;
- to facilitate gatherings of deacon formators to ensure sharing of ideas and practices and for mutual support;
- to provide a resource to and referral point for the Bishops Conference on matters concerning the ministry and life of deacons in Australia;
- to encourage and foster collaboration between deacons, priests and bishops as they share the Sacrament of Orders and the ecclesiastical ministry, in building up the Body of Christ until it grows to the fullness of time;
- to support and collaborate with other relevant initiatives of the wider Church, including the International Diaconate Centre.
Membership
5. The members of the Association shall not be fewer than fifteen (15) deacons admitted to membership in accordance with the Statutes.
6. Membership of the Association is either diaconal membership or associate membership.
b) Diaconal membership of the Association is open to persons belonging to the Eastern Churches who are ordained to the diaconate, provided that, they have the permission of their eparchial Bishop.
c) Associate membership of the Association is open to other persons belonging to the Latin Church who are in some way involved in the life and ministry of deacons or who are supportive of the purposes of the Association.
d) Associate membership of the Association is open to sub-deacons and other persons belonging to the Eastern Churches who are in some way involved in the life and ministry of deacons or who are supportive of the purposes of the Association.
7. a) The Executive Committee shall prescribe an application form to be used by eligible persons intending to become members of the Association to apply for membership.
b) The prescribed membership fee is payable when the application form for membership is lodged with the Secretary.
b) At the next meeting of the Executive Committee after receipt by the Secretary of a signed application in the prescribed form, such application shall be considered by the Committee which shall accept or reject the application.
d) When an application for membership has been accepted, the Executive Committee shall forthwith send to the applicant written notice of such acceptance. In the event a nomination is rejected the applicant shall be informed in writing and the membership fee shall be reimbursed.
8. The Secretary shall maintain the Register of Members in which shall be recorded the full name and address of all members and the date of their admission to, and cessation of, membership of the Association.
9. Each Member has the right to receive the official communications from the Executive Committee and the Newsletter of the Association and to receive notice of the General Meeting of the Association.
10. a) The annual membership fee payable by the members of the Association shall be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee in accordance with the regulations.
b) The annual membership fee shall be paid on the anniversary of the date the member first joined the Association or at such other time as may be determined by the Executive Committee.
11. A member may at any time resign as a member of the Association by giving notice in writing to the Secretary and any member whose annual membership fee is one (1) year in arrears automatically ceases to be a member of the Association.
12. a) A member, for a just reason [canon 308 CIC], may be dismissed from the Association in accordance with the regulations which are established by the Executive Committee and endorsed by the members at the General Meeting.
b) A diaconal member shall be automatically dismissed from the Association if he loses the clerical state in accordance with canon 290 CIC.
The Executive Committee
13. The members of the Executive Committee established under the rules of the National Association of Deacons shall continue in office after the Australian Catholic Deacons Association is recognised as a Private Association of Christ’s Faithful and complete their terms in accord with those rules, without prejudice to the right to serve two consecutive terms of office in accordance with article 17 a) of the Statutes.
14. a) The administration of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Committee which shall consist of six (6) members of the Association elected in accordance with the Statutes.
b) Only diaconal members of the Association are eligible to vote for or be elected to the Executive Committee.
c) The office holders of the Association are those diaconal members elected to the offices of President, Secretary and Treasurer, in accordance with the Statutes.
15. a) For the purpose of the election of the Executive Committee, five regional groups are identified comprising the defined territories which constitute the five Ecclesiastical Provinces of Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne (with the addition of the Archdiocese of Hobart), Perth and Sydney (with the addition of the Archdiocese of Canberra - Goulburn).
b) Diaconal members who belong to the Military Ordinariate, the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross or an eparchy are part of the regional group in which they reside, and if deployed overseas with the Australian Military they continue to be regarded as belonging to the regional group in which they resided prior to their deployment overseas.
16. Diaconal members have the right to nominate at least one diaconal member from their regional group as a candidate for the election to the Executive Committee. The nomination form shall indicate the date on which the candidate accepted the nomination and shall include a brief curriculum vitae and recent photo of the candidate.
17. a) The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a term of three (3) years and may be re-elected, provided that a member of the Executive Committee does not serve three (3) consecutive terms of office.
b) The term of office shall begin on the First Sunday of Advent for each regional grouping which elects one (1) representative as follows:
- Year A - Territory of Brisbane
- Year B - Territory of Sydney and the Territory of Melbourne
- Year C - Territory of Adelaide and the Territory of Perth.
18. a) The deacon who receives the greatest number of votes is elected to the Executive Committee. If the number of votes is equal, the President shall draw one of the candidates by lot.
b) If only one candidate is nominated, that person shall be declared elected.
The Officer Holders
19. The President shall be elected by the diaconal members of the Association for a term of three (3) years and may be re-elected provided that he does not serve more than two consecutive terms in office.
20. Diaconal members of the Association have the right to nominate a candidate for the office of President. The nomination form shall indicate the date on which the candidate accepted the nomination and shall include a brief curriculum vitae and recent photo of the candidate.
21. The candidate who receives the greatest number of votes shall be elected to the office of President. If after two ballots, the number of votes is equal, the election will be determined by lot.
22. If only one candidate is nominated, that person shall be declared to be elected.
23. Whenever a casual vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Executive Committee shall appoint one of its number to fill the vacancy.
25. a) The office of a member of the Executive Committee becomes vacant if:
1° the member is absent from three successive meetings of the Executive Committee without leave granted by the Committee;
2° the member resigns by notice in writing to the Executive Committee;
3° the member is removed for a just reason in accordance with the Regulations;
4° the member ceases to be a member of the Association.
b) Whenever a casual vacancy occurs on the Executive Committee, the Committee shall appoint a diaconal member of the Association from the same regional group to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of office.
The Secretary
26. The Secretary is responsible for:
1° maintaining the Register of Members;
2° maintaining the minutes, including the notices and the agenda, of the meetings of the Executive Committee;
3° ensuring that minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee are signed within a reasonable time after the meeting by the President;
4° ensuring that minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be circulated to the members of the Committee within thirty (30) days of the meeting being held;
5° circulating a summary of the key items discussed at meetings of the Executive Committee to the members of the Association by way of the Association’s regular newsletter;
6° maintaining the minutes, including the notices and the agenda for the General Meeting of members;
7° the custody of all legal and official documentation and records pertaining to the affairs of the of the Association.
27. The Secretary shall be the Returning Officer for the elections of the Association unless determined otherwise by the Executive Committee:
1° The Secretary is to distribute the nomination forms thirty (30) days prior to any election;
2° The Secretary is to receive the nomination forms no later than ten (10) days prior to any election;
3° The Secretary is responsible for preparing and distributing ballot papers no later five (5) days prior to any election;
4° The Secretary will formally declare the result of each election.
5° The Executive Committee may appoint two scrutineers for each election.
The Treasurer
28. The Treasurer is responsible for the administration of the temporal goods of the Association.
29. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of income and expenditure. The funds received by the Association are to be deposited as soon as practicable in the Association’s bank or authorized deposit account. The treasurer shall as soon as practicable issue a receipt for the funds received.
30. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the payment of ordinary expenditure incurred by the Association, provided that there shall be at least two signatories for each bank account.
31. The Executive Committee shall determine the amount of extraordinary expenditure for which the Treasurer requires the approval of the Committee.
32. The Treasurer shall present a financial report.to the Executive Committee at the end of the financial year.
Meetings of the Executive Committee
33. a) The Executive Committee may meet together for the despatch of business and adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it deems fit, provided that the Committee meets at least four (4) times each year.
b) The President may at any time convene a meeting of the Executive Committee provided that at least five (5) days’ notice is given.
34. At a meeting of the Executive Committee four (4) members of the Committee including the President shall constitute a quorum. No business shall be transacted at any such meeting unless a quorum is present at the time the meeting proceeds to business.
35. The President shall preside at every meeting of the Executive Committee or if he is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the holding of the meeting, then the members of the Committee present shall designate one of their number to preside at the meeting.
A meeting of the Executive Committee may be held using any technology consented to by all the members of the Committee.
36. The Executive Committee may invite to its meetings any person(s) with specific expertise or experience to assist the Committee in its deliberations.
37. a) A resolution of the Executive Committee must be passed by a majority of those present at the meeting.
b) In case of an equality of votes the President does not have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote.
The General Meeting of Members
38. The General Meeting of Members shall be held biennially at such time and place and using such technology as the Executive Committee determines. Other General Meetings may be held whenever the Executive Committee deems such a meeting is necessary or is required by the Statutes.
39. Thirty (30) days’ notice of a General Meeting shall be given to the members.
40. All Members have the right to receive notification of a General Meeting and to attend and participate in the Meeting.
41. The President shall preside at the General Meeting or in his absence a member of the Executive Committee shall designate one of its members to preside at the meeting.
42. No business shall be transacted at the General Meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Fifteen (15) diaconal members present shall constitute a quorum.
43. At the General Meeting only the diaconal members shall have the right to vote on resolution put to the vote of the meeting.
44. In the case of an equality of votes the President of the meeting shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote.
Temporal Goods
45. As of the date the Bishops Conference recognized the Association, the real and intellectual property that belonged to the National Association of Deacons as a constituent of the National Council of Priests became the temporal goods of the Association.
46. The temporal goods of the Association are to be used for the purposes of the Association and the Bishops Conference, in accord with canon 325 §4, has the right to ensure the goods are so applied.
47. To ensure the ownership of the temporal goods of the Association is safeguarded in civil law, a legal entity shall be established pursuant to the provisions of the Roman Catholic Church Communities’ Lands Act NSW 1942. The body corporate shall be known as Australian Catholic Deacons Association.
The Centre
48. The Centre of the Association is established in the State of New South Wales in the Diocese of Parramatta, unless determined otherwise by the Executive Committee.
Amending the Statutes
49. The Statutes may be amended by a General Meeting of members provided that thirty (30) days’ notice has been given to the Members of the proposed amendment(s) to the Statutes.
50. Any amendment(s) to the Statutes takes effect when the Bishops Conference has reviewed the amendment(s) and informed the President that the review has been completed.
Dissolution
51. The Members may resolve to dissolve the Association provided that the resolution has been passed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Members present at a General Meeting convened solely for this purpose, and provided that thirty (30) days’ notice has been given to the members of the proposed resolution to dissolve the Association.
52. If the diaconal membership of the Association is reduced to fewer than ten (10) members, the Association is dissolved automatically.
53. The Association, in accordance with canon 365 §1, if its activity gives rise to grave harm to ecclesiastical teaching or discipline or is a scandal to the faithful can be suppressed by the Bishops Conference.
54. If the Association is dissolved or suppressed, after the satisfaction of all its liabilities and with due regard for the wishes of any benefactors [canon 326 §2], any temporal goods remaining are to be given to the Bishop’s Conference to be used for the purpose of providing formation for permanent deacons.