Matthew and Kieran ordained deacons

Congratulations to Matthew McCafferty and Kieran Burt who were ordained deacons in Rome by Archbishop Cushley.

The ceremony took place yesterday at St Paul Outside the Walls and represents their final step on the path to priesthood.

Matthew, from Bathgate, is a seminarian of the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh, while Kieran is from Motherwell Diocese.

Archbishop Cushley told them: "To be a deacon is to serve; to be Christlike is to serve; and you are called to embrace both, in a life of perfect service: a joyful, constant, self-emptying gift to the Lord and His people."

On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations we ask God to guide both men on their path to priesthood.

Homily of Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews & Edinburgh, Diaconate Ordinations, St Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, 10 May 2025

My dear friends,

A warm welcome to all of you, to our diaconandi, but especially to the parents, relatives and friends of Kieran and Matthew, some of whom have travelled far.

Thank you for joining us on this happy and solemn occasion. And we’re all very grateful to His Eminence Cardinal Harvey, Archpriest of St Paul’s outside the Walls, and to Canon Mark Cassidy, Rector of the Pontifical Scots College, and to the staff and seminarians for their welcome and assistance.

All of us here, and I think it’s fair to say especially the clergy, appreciate the profound significance of what is about to take place in the lives of these men.

To be sure, they have been in formation for a long time now and have been preparing eagerly for this day.

But today is not only a question of the change wrought in them by the sacred nature of holy orders, or of finally coming to a point of arrival; today also has the nature of a solemn pledge, that these men are open to God’s grace, that they will continue to deepen their love for our divine Master, and to mature in serving God’s people in the Church, even as they also continue, please God, on their way towards the priesthood.

This is the moment when these men publicly assume the duties of service associated with the diaconate.

Today, they will promise to pray the Liturgy of the Hours every day for the rest of their lives; they will promise respect and obedience to their bishop and his successors; and they will embrace a life of celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

Publicly and willingly – and, it is to be hoped, joyfully and constantly - they will assume all the above. It is the experience of us who’ve been there before them, that these commitments will surround them and assist them in the fulfilment of their new mission.

This day has been on their horizon for years now, and they have been getting ready to embrace each of these promises in its entirety: we know that they are not a mere formality; rather, they are things that will shape them, and shape them for the good, from today and for the rest of their lives.

We all know that words are easy to say, and promises can appear easy too; nor is this ceremony actually very complicated; but in spite of the simplicity and sobriety of today’s rites, we can still glimpse the profound change that divine grace will be summoned upon to make in them; we see what is being demanded of them in their lives, in private and in public; and even now, we catch sight of how this is going to determine how they will live and how they will serve God and the people round about them for the rest of their lives, both in the diaconate, and later on in the priesthood.

But none of this is magic; none of this is sentimental; none of this is automatic. Even before they were sent to Salamanca and Rome, they were being formed by the Lord and by Providence for what is now coming to pass today. For it to become a lived and lasting reality, then, they will

continue to need your support, so that what is begun today may be completed happily in God’s good time.

Addressing the diaconandi

My dear sons,

None of what I have just said will, of course, come as a surprise to you, since you have probably waited long and impatiently for this day, and wondered if it would ever arrive.

I know, because I was once there too. To come to this day, then, and to be ready to embrace all its commitments with a full heart, is something that is a joy that cannot always be fully appreciated by those who have not committed themselves to Christ in this unique and single-minded way.

Entering holy orders undoubtedly sets you apart, and this is made doubly true, because we live in a world that does not acknowledge, or care to understand, how such a willing, joyful, lifelong commitment is possible, let alone desirable.

A celebration cake each for Matthew (left) and Kieran!

In the Order of Deacons, you will be conformed to Christ, our great Deacon. After all, Christ is the first and the greatest of us deacons. He showed us the path a deacon must tread, the true path of service.

His diaconal service starts at the Annunciation, where true God becomes true man and lives among us: in the Virgin’s womb, the very Son of God becomes a humble, weak, mortal human being, one like us in all things, but sin.

His service as our true Deacon is seen even more vividly in His passion and death on the Cross. From the gift of Himself in the Eucharist at the Last Supper, to the complete emptying of Himself on the Cross, even to His death and His being laid in the tomb, Christ our Deacon shows us a path of service that is a perfect one, and one worthy of reflection and imitation by you.

Archbishop Cushley, flanked by Deacon Matthew (left) and Kieran, along with Bishop Joseph Toal and College staff.

To be a deacon is to serve; to be Christlike is to serve; and you are called to embrace both, in a life of perfect service: a joyful, constant, self-emptying gift to the Lord and His people.

As you know, a deacon is a herald of Christ and of his Word, proclaiming the Gospel, in season and out of season.

As well as proclaiming the Gospel in words, a deacon also learns to serve others by listening to them. Secondly, a deacon is also an ambassador of Christ, representing the Lord faithfully, even in the silent witness of a holy life.

Above all, a deacon is one who serves just as Christ Himself served. For your part, therefore, be prompt in your service; put others before you; complete your duties cheerfully. And let this time of service be the beginning of a life spent joyfully, in imitation of Christ, our great Deacon. Amen!

Q&A: My journey to the diaconate

This Saturday Matthew McCafferty from Bathgate (centre, main pic) will be ordained a Deacon in Rome by Archbishop Cushley.

It is a final step for the 30-year-old seminarian on his journey to the priesthood.

We asked him about life in Rome and his  vocation as we look towards World Day of Prayer for Vocations this Sunday.

Where are you being ordained a deacon?
The Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. I will be ordained with Kieran Burt of the Diocese of Motherwell. Kieran and I have been together in seminary for over six years so it will be special to be ordained alongside him.

What did you do before entering seminary in 2019?
I studied History at the University of St Andrews before completing teacher training at the University of Glasgow. I  worked briefly as a history teacher at Holyrood Secondary in Glasgow and Taylor High School in Lanarkshire.

What's a typical day like for a seminarian in Rome?
There is and Mass with the rest of the Scottish seminarians at the Scots College at 6:30am. I then make my  way to the Pontifical Gregorian University where classes begin at 8:30am. Back at the College, we either have input from the seminary staff on spiritual and pastoral formation or we head out into the city to our various pastoral assignments. We conclude each day with evening prayers and dinner together in the seminary.

From left: Seminarians Gerard Holden, Kieran Burt (Motherwell Diocese), Matthew McCafferty and Fr Nick Welsh, Vice Rector of the Scots College, at St Margaret's in Dunfermline.

How has living in Rome shaped your spiritual and personal growth?
One of the great privileges is that we attend classes with other seminarians, priests, religious, and lay people from all over the world.  The universality and Catholicity of the Church is constantly on parade in Rome, and no more so than in this Jubilee Year. There are churches here that have served as sites of Christian worship for 1700 years, and many of them contain the relics of well-known saints.  Attending Mass at these locations has deepened my appreciation for the rich traditions of our faith and heightens the sense of belonging to something much bigger and greater than ourselves.

 I have been lucky to learn from some great priests in parishes across the Archdiocese.

What does being a deacon involve?
A deacon is ordained to serve the People of God and specifically to assist at the altar during Mass. This means that a deacon can proclaim the Gospel and preach, as well as conduct funerals and baptisms. I will be ordained a transitional deacon (as opposed to a permanent deacon) which means that it serves as a kind of ‘final step’ closer to the altar in preparing for ordination to the priesthood.

What preparation do you do to become a deacon?
Ordination to the Diaconate comes after two years spent studying Philosophy, followed by four years studying Theology. During that time we also undertake practical experience at parishes in Scotland and in Rome. I have been lucky to learn from some great priests in parishes across the Archdiocese.

Fr Mark Cassidy, Rector of the Scots College, leads a class for seminarians.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they might be called to a religious vocation but is unsure?
Firstly, it’s so important to pray consistently, asking God to help you to understand what it is He wants from you in your life.  Secondly, it’s really helpful to talk to someone about it, ideally a priest. It does not mean that he will sign you up there and then! But the mere act of vocalising these thoughts and prayers can really help with gaining some clarity. Lastly, seize the moment and act! It’s tempting to be a ‘perpetual discerner,’ toying with the idea of the priesthood or religious life but putting off pursuing it. Patience is key in discerning a religious vocation, but at a certain point God calls us all to action. That action might simply be talking to a friend, family member, or priest for the first time, or it might be contacting the Vocations Director.

Normalising publicly praying for vocations in our parishes, schools, and university chaplaincies is very important.

Are there any saints or role models who have influenced your path to the priesthood?
I’ve been lucky to have been influenced by the witness of many priests in our Archdiocese while on parish placements.  They have been great examples of commitment and deep faith. But above all, I have been struck by the joy with which they live out their priesthood. I would also say that I’ve been very fortunate to have lived and studied with some great friends in the seminary. It’s been hugely inspiring to see them making such a positive contribution to the Church in the real world outside seminary.

What message would you share about supporting vocations on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations? 
Please pray for those currently studying for the priesthood and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. It is a huge support to know that people at home are keeping us in their prayers. I don’t think vocations just appear in a vacuum; rather, they are often the product of a sustained culture in any given place which offers spiritual and emotional support to those making the first tentative steps to exploring what God is asking of them in their lives. So, I think normalising publicly praying for vocations in our parishes, schools, and university chaplaincies is very important.

If you feel you may be called to the priesthood or religious life, contact our Vocations Directors here. World Day of Prayer for Vocations is this Sunday. A special collection will take place for the Ecclesiastical Students Fund, which helps cover tuition fees and living costs for our seminarians. You can also donate at bit.ly/eccstudents25.

GALLERY: Ordination of Douglas Robertson as Deacon

Congratulations to Douglas Robertson who was ordained a Deacon by Archbishop Cushley at St Michael's Church in Linlithgow on Saturday.

His ministry as a permanent deacon will be at St Michael's where he will assist Canon Paul Kelly.

Deacon Douglas said: "I would like to thank everyone, most especially my wife Margaret and all members of my family. I humbly ask you to keep me in your prayers."

Find out more about Douglas and the Permanent Diaconate here.

Gallery

 

 

Diaconate ordinations: Homily of Archbishop Cushley

Congratulations to Paul Henderson and Peter Shankland who were ordained Deacons by Archbishop Cushley yesterday (14 June)  at the Basillica of St Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome.

Several parishioners from St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh were there for the occasion as well as the Cathedral's Schola Cantorum to provide music for the occasion.

Archbishop Leo Cushley ordained both men and his homily can be read below.

Homily of Archbishop Leo Cushley

Diaconate Ordinations of the Pontifical Beda College, 14 June 2023, Basilica of St Paul’s outside the Walls, Rome.

My dear sons,

Today, you will be invited to complete another significant step in your training, as you are raised to the dignity of deacon.

Now, if you were listening, I just talked of you taking a new “step”, of being “raised” and to a new “dignity”.

This is a kind of language that we don’t hear much in church anymore, and that sounds to our modern ears a little old-fashioned, even a little pompous or proud.

And yet, in the real world, when people get a better job, or start making more money, we talk with satisfaction of them getting a “promotion”, of “going up in the world”, or of their “upward mobility” in society.

And in the ancient world, whence the Church draws this kind of language, they too talked of moving “onwards” and “upwards”.

Having said that, however, in the ancient Roman world, not even Julius Caesar could go straight to being Consul: everyone had to start somewhere, and everyone had to start on the first step of the stair.

And, standing on that step for a while, and learning about it, and practising it, you could then present yourself for the next office, and then go up another step; and, if elected or chosen to proceed, you moved up to a more senior office again, in other words, as if you were taking another step up.

Towards Holy Orders

This was called the cursus, and the Church still employs its own cursus, or course, as our seminarians pass from the ministries of reader and acolyte, promoting them in due course to Holy Orders.

So, today is a step in a well-thought-out set of steps, that leads you up towards your ultimate goal, the ministerial priesthood.  But getting there is done gradually, literally up one step after another, slowly, deliberately, over time and with time, so that you learn the task at hand, gain experience and build upon it, and so that the step after that can be taken more confidently.

As a deacon, your first task will be to proclaim the Gospel as a herald of Christ; to represent Christ as his ambassador; and to serve others, just as the Lord served us perfectly by His death on the Cross.

This gradual, measured way of doing things, the Church imports from the ancient world.  What the Church does not import however, is the worldly pride that goes with these “promotions”.

Archbishop Cushley celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass the day following the ordination at the Church of Saint Mary of Grace 'alle Fornaci It was concelebrated by priests from the Archdiocese including Canon Patrick Burke and Fr Robert Taylor (St Mary's Cathedral), Fr Nick Welsh (Pontifical Scots College) and Fr James Cadman.

If she talks of your “promotion”, she means that you are moving on to ever greater service, not the command of others.

If she talks of your “dignity”, she means you standing on that step and learning of the duty, of the responsibility that you have, at that level, on that step, so that you fulfill, soberly and to the best of your ability, the task at hand.

Dignity

Dignity isn’t about what people think about you, never mind what you think about yourself.  Dignity is about understanding your duty and about fulfilling energetically and with a clear conscience the task entrusted to you by the Church, and always in a spirit of service.

All the ministries you receive before being ordained to the sacred priesthood contain an essential component of what it is to be a dedicated and effective priest.

Thus, as a deacon, your first task will be to proclaim the Gospel as a herald of Christ; to represent Christ as his ambassador; and to serve others, just as the Lord served us perfectly by His death on the Cross.

The Word of God is full of power.  It is the means by which God formed Israel into His own People.  As they journeyed through the wilderness, they listened to God’s word.

On their way to the promised land, the People of God became a people, because they were drawn together and formed by the Word.  That formative role of the Word is seen again, and is real and effective every day, in our liturgical assembly.

And it will happen again, as you proclaim the Gospel to your brothers and sisters, to the new Israel, the Church of Christ, and as you learn to preach and live the Gospel effectively, wisely and well.

Proclaim the Word

As deacons, you will proclaim the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ; and later, as priests, you will offer the Word made flesh in sacrifice to the Father in the Eucharist.  But, even now, consider how essential is the task of proclaiming Christ the Word in the Eucharistic assembly.

Note the respect and attention paid to Christ the Word proclaimed in the Gospel, and make it your task to proclaim him and preach him to the very best of your ability.

The Schola Cantorum provided music at the Thanksgiving Mass.

So, a deacon is a herald.  But by the name’s meaning, diakonos, he is also by definition a servant: he is a servant of the Gospel, a servant of Christ and a servant of his people, especially the poor.

As a deacon, you will be a leader in the liturgical assembly, but you are to be a servant leader.  The office of deacon is closely associated with the office of bishop, because, after the episcopate, it is in the deacon that the humility of true Christian leadership is seen most clearly.

All clergy are to be servant leaders, but deacons are the concentrated incarnation of it.

This is why you are called to imitate perfectly our Lord Jesus Christ, who said of himself, that he came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  Today that task now falls to you.

Celibacy

Finally, you are called to this service in the celibate state.

Permanent deacons, those who remain on this step, are not asked to remain celibate.

You, on the other hand, are to be deacons only for a time, and as a part of your training for the sacred priesthood.  It is in this light that celibacy is to be seen, as your acceptance of it is to be a part of your journey into the mystery of Christ’s priestly sacrifice on the Cross.

You time as deacon is also a time of learning and the gaining of valuable experience.

Give yourselves joyfully to the Lord and He will reward you with many consolations, now and in the life to come.

You add it to your time as a lector, forming and being formed by the Word; to your time as an acolyte, approaching ever closer the mystery of the living Lord in the Eucharist; and to that, as deacons, you will add the ability to preach the Gospel; to do it ably; and to make it living and active in the world through a pure heart and a clear conscience.

You will now officiate at baptims; you will bring the Eucharist to the sick and the dying; you will conduct marriages and funerals; you will be a herald of the Gospel; you will learn to be an ambassador of Christ.

And you will do all of this, sanctified by the Prayer of the Church, by your respect and obedience for your bishop, and by the joyful sacrifice and commitment of a celibate life.

So, my dear sons, imitate Christ the Deacon in your loving service of His people.  Give yourselves joyfully to the Lord and He will reward you with many consolations, now and in the life to come.

Embrace the prayer life of the Church; learn the full liberty of your obedience to your bishop; and make celibacy a pure gift of yourself to everyone.

Be the Lord’s faithful herald and true ambassador; and may Christ the Lord, the Father’s true servant on the Cross, reward you. Amen.

Becoming a Deacon: Paul Henderson's story

The Cathedral is my spiritual home. Without the Cathedral, and its parish community, I might not be a Catholic, never mind training to be a priest.

It was through the Cathedral’s RCIA group that I was introduced fully to the faith and, on Easter Sunday at the Cathedral in 2016, received into the Catholic Church.

Being part of the RCIA programme was a profound experience.

Paul (left) with friend and fellow seminarian Peter Shankland. Both will be ordained in Rome on 14 June 2023.

I felt the truth of Jesus Christ growing in me, in the depth of my being, and was continually moved by the piety of the volunteers.

They would be there, always smiling, to welcome us enquirers, despite some of them having come straight from work (and surely exhausted) yet still willing to do this Christian service.

I remember how one evening a young priest from Africa explained his clerical garments and their ritual significance, before vesting and saying Mass.

I was struck as much by the beauty of his faith as by anything.

I remember asking him “how long did your training as a priest take?”

When I said this, one of the RCIA volunteers said to me “It’s not too late to get your application in, Paul!”

That really stuck in my mind, even though, at fifty-one, I presumed I must be too old to train to be a priest.

Beauty of the Mass

When I started RCIA, I thought I should acclimatise myself better to the liturgy, so started attending the twelve-noon Mass.

It wasn’t long before my eyes would fill with tears as I sang the Latin Creed joyously with the others: “Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum…!”

Peter and Paul at the Beda College in Rome where they are studying for the priesthood.

I was so moved at the aching beauty of the Mass and can honestly say that the Cathedral choir was thus part of my conversion, as was the devotion of the congregation, and whoever was responsible for the incredible flowers that appeared each week.

I remember Masses when Fr Patrick Burke was celebrating without a Deacon.

I can’t quite explain why, but the image of him on those occasions burnt itself in my memory, an isolated Catholic Priest acting in persona Christi.

I loved the multicultural congregation as well, the myriad of Europeans and “ethnic minorities”, so different from the very white Anglican church I was used to.

Confirmation

My eventual Confirmation in 2016 left me feeling so content.

There were drinks with the archbishop, clergy, and others, after that Easter Vigil, for those who had been baptised and confirmed at the cathedral that evening, and I had the strongest feeling that I had come “home”, by joining a truly global Catholic Church.

Just over two months later, on 23 June as it happened: I went to see Fr Patrick with a strong feeling I wished to serve the Church in a deeper way.

I’ll never forget the leap of joy in my heart when he asked if I’d considered the priesthood.

I will not forget the date, partly because it was the day of the Referendum on whether the UK should leave the European Union!

I asked him if there was any possibility I could look into the Permanent Diaconate.

I’ll never forget the leap of joy in my heart when he asked if I’d considered the priesthood.

At the meeting, he continued to say that, at my age, I would probably be sent to the Beda College in Rome. Strange though it is, I immediately knew I was going to this college I’d never heard of in Rome.

Following the call

The next day I called people close to me and told them that I was offering myself as a Catholic priest.

I can honestly say I felt something of the rushing wind of the Holy Spirit pushing me forward.

That said, it took me considerable effort to extricate myself from my career and life in Edinburgh in order to follow the call.

In case this doesn’t sound all too rosy-tinted, I must add that before starting RCIA at this wonderful Cathedral, at the recommendation of a friend, I had approached two Catholic priests asking for advice on becoming a Roman Catholic.

In both cases, I had the strong impression that they were almost bemused at the idea, as if they could not understand why anyone might want to join.

It really was through Fr Patrick that I finally glimpsed the heights and the depth and the incomparable grandeur of the Catholic Church and understood that (as the Magisterium puts it) the Body of Christ ‘subsists’ in the Catholic Church, mystically and physically embodied in the institutional Church we see with our eyes, in our congregations, in its liturgy and its social action around the world.

I was also struck by Fr Patrick’s ability to reveal the depth of the Scriptures in his sermons.

Cathedral community

I’ve had such good connections formed with the Cathedral community that in many ways it has become like a family.

It gives me joy that my sister Rowena followed me, joining a later Cathedral RCIA programme and being confirmed in the Cathedral.

Also, my good friends Diana and her children Catherine-Charlotte and Iain, were likewise confirmed into the Cathedral in 2021.

The Cathedral has as well, for the time being anyway, literally become my home. When I left for the preparatory seminary in Salamanca at the start of 2020, Covid hit, and I had to return to Scotland.

Fr Patrick very kindly let me stay at the Cathedral, as I no longer had a place of my own.

This kind offer has extended to the present and I’ve stayed at the Cathedral during breaks from here at the Pontifical Beda College in southwest Rome.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge that I would never be here if Archbishop Leo had not approved it. I am extremely grateful for all the support he has given me.

Indeed, I am indebted to the whole Cathedral community who have been so supportive of my journey. Thank you.

Paul Henderson will be ordained a Deacon by Archbishop Leo Cushley at the Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome on Wednesday 14 June 2023. He will be ordained alongside Peter Shankland, who is also a parishioner of the Cathedral. Read his story here. This article first appeared in Crux, the magazine of the Friends of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, Spring 2023 edition.

Becoming a Deacon: Peter Shankland's story

Despite being brought up as a Catholic, when I came to Edinburgh to study in 1992, I was more attracted by the bright lights of the city than by going to Mass!

In 2000 however, having by then settled in Edinburgh, I decided to start attending church again.

I went first to the Vigil Mass at St Mary's Cathedral, where the late Monsignor David Gemmel welcomed me back with open arms.

He told me that he hoped I was doing this for myself and not for my family.

I think he was making an important point.

Soon he encouraged me to become more involved in the life of the Cathedral parish, first as a passkeeper and then as a reader.

While I was training to work as a teacher, he offered me the chance to help with the children’s liturgy.

More than a building

Msgr David’s untimely death was a shock to all of us, and this was the moment I realised that I really belonged to a community in this Cathedral.

It was far more than just a building.

Peter (left) with friend and fellow seminarian Paul Henderson. Both will be ordained in Rome on 14 June 2023.

I became an Extraordinary Eucharistic minister at the invitation of Msgr Mike Reagan, another very wise priest from whom I would learn a lot.

Others who had an influence on me were Msgr Patrick Burke and Fr.Nick Welsh.

For me, they were both shepherds at a time when I could have become lost.

In 2018, I went on pilgrimage to Rome for the Diaconate Ordination of Fr Patrick Harrigan who attended the Beda College (where I currently study) and who is also an ex-parishioner of the Cathedral.

I was very moved by this ceremony, and it was the following day that I realised how much it had touched me.

While visiting the Vatican Museum, one of the great thunderstorms - for which Rome is famous - blew up. Once it had passed, I went for a walk in the gardens.

It was then that I dared to think that God might be calling me to be a priest. It is a moment I recall every time I read the story of Elijah’s encounter with the still small voice of God.

Happy memories

Many memories and impressions of the Cathedral stay with me as happy memories.

I think of the ark at the front of the sanctuary, and the times in front of the blessed sacrament when I felt as though I was raising my heart and mind to heaven when I looked across at it.

I think of being involved in the Chrism Mass and the Easter Triduum and the occasion when, in my nervousness at the former, I nearly dropped the processional cross.

Peter and Paul at the Beda College in Rome where they are studying for the priesthood.

I remember vividly assisting with the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, and how moving I found the solemnity on each face that came forward.

The people’s participation at the Vigil Mass was also achingly beautiful, and I felt I was a part of a giant family as we moved together into the body of the Church.

When I revealed to people that I had been accepted to study for the priesthood, I was overwhelmed by expressions of love and joy.

One parishioner said she had made a list of people she thought would answer God’s call, and I had been one of them.

Taking action

The movement from thought to action had come about one Saturday morning in the Cathedral, after confession with Fr Binhu, when he asked me to wait and speak to him outside the confessional.

He sensed I was torn about something. That was when I told him that I thought I had a vocation, and he was very encouraging and helpful.

I then met with Msgr. Burke, who said he thought I would make a good candidate, and with Fr Jamie McMorrin, the new curate, who was also supportive.

Fr Jamie encouraged me to attend his ‘young’ adult group for some pastoral and personal experience.

This gave me more confidence in talking about and understanding my faith.

Although I was receiving a lot of support from the clergy, I didn’t at first tell anyone in the parish that I was applying for the Priesthood.

That said I always found my conversations with parishioners encouraging during this time of waiting.

I would encourage anyone who feels they have a vocation to consider it carefully.

Even though they did not know my plans, I felt we were part of the same praying community, and that they were praying for me (as I was for them) regardless of what I was doing.

I found the Cathedral was a place of unparalleled calm that allowed me to spend time in silence.

As, God willing, I approach ordination as a Deacon this month, I haven’t for a moment regretted the resolution that was formed in that silence, and I feel every day that the Lord is affirming that He has called me into this wonderful vocation.

I would encourage anyone who feels they have a vocation to consider it carefully.

Rome has of course been a special place to study, but the Cathedral will always be the place where I came back to practising my faith and I will always be so grateful for the love, support, and prayers I received there.

In fact, and in a way I can’t express, I shall always be grateful to the Cathedral community.

Peter Shankland will be ordained a Deacon by Archbishop Leo Cushley at the Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome on Wednesday 14 June 2023. He will be ordained alongside Paul Henerson, who is also a parishioner of the Cathedral. Read his story here. This article first appeared in Crux, the magazine of the Friends of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, Spring 2023 edition.

Q&A: Tom's journey to becoming a deacon

Tom McEvoy will be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate at St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral on Saturday. On the same occasion, Douglas Robertson, a parishioner at St Michael’s, Linlithgow, is to be instituted as a Lector, a step en route to the diaconate. We spoke to Tom about his journey to the diaconate...

What parish do you attend?
I am a parishioner of the Sacred Heart & St Margaret Parish, Penicuik; My wife Anne and I have been here since 2006 and feel very much at home. Although both of us are approximately 30 years in Scotland, some traces of our Irish accents do remain!

Why did you decide to apply for the diaconate?
I decided to apply because of an incident on the Feast of St Joseph, 19th March, 2016. At the time I was at a weekend conference and woke up during the night, saying “So you want me to become a permanent deacon?” I have no recollection of hearing a voice and there were no lights or bells or suchlike, but something prompted me to make the statement before falling back to sleep. A few hours later, I awoke with a sense of calm that I’d not known previously, and knew I ought to explore the possibility. In the months that followed, Anne and I prayed and talked about it. We took our time and, thank God, it proved to be a precious summer and autumn of unhurried debate, prayer and discernment. Eventually, when it felt right, we decided to make ‘what next’ enquiries.

What are you most looking forward to in your ministry?
I am looking forward to being able, thanks to the Sacramental graces of Holy Orders and despite my many limitations, to help people as God wills me to and to be helped by them; also to learn from them and to share joys as well as sorrows, ordinary days as well as extraordinary happenings, indeed whatever lies in store as we journey together through life ... all the while growing in and sharing and celebrating God’s gifts of faith, hope and love.

Tom, centre, was accepted as a candidate for Holy Orders in May this year at his home parish of Sacred Heart & St Margaret Parish, Penicuik.

What is your day job?
I am a soon-to-be-retired College lecturer who has never quite stopped being a farmer’s son. A career involving research science and science teaching brought me to Scotland and has kept me here, happily engaging with, and indeed learning from, both students and staff colleagues from all over the world.

What is a deacon, and what do they do?
A deacon is a man who has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders but who is not a priest or bishop. All priests and bishops are ordained as deacons before ordination to the priesthood. Permanent deacons are men, married or single, who do not become priests. All deacons are configured to Christ the Servant (Pope St John Paul II).

Deacons are ordained to assist their bishop in his doctrinal, sacramental and charitable ministry both publicly and permanently. Part of what deacons are ordained to do is highlighted in the Rite of Ordination: proclaiming the Gospel and preaching. A key statement in the Rite, referring to Holy Scriptures, is: “Believe what you read; teach what you believe, and practice what you teach”. Above all, theirs is a sacramental ministry of service: they are to heed Christ’s example of washing His disciples’ feet and they are to pray the Church’s morning and evening prayer every day for the people of God. Specific tasks include assisting the bishop and priests in the celebration of the Eucharist, assisting at and blessing marriages (if so delegated), and presiding over funerals.

What support have you been given?
At all stages, Anne and I have received wonderful support on all sides, among so many friends at parish and Archdiocesan level as well as further afield, notably including many we know and pray with through Churches Together, locally and nationally. The five-year diaconal formation programme (one year of initial discernment plus four years of part-time studies, prayer and further ongoing discernment) also has been a means of support from many very generous, dedicated and (yes) holy people.

What advice would you give to married men considering the diaconate?
First and foremost, talk to and listen to your wife, and together listen to and trust in God. Seek information and talk to deacons and their wives. Pray and pray again – Stephen, Francis of Assisi, and Laurence (who identified the poor as the Church’s true treasure) are among the saints who can intercede for you. In my own case, St Joseph was and remains my ‘go to’ Saint. I thank him and God and Anne for prompting, shaping and sharing my journey to the diaconate. On the day of ordination, in this Year of St Joseph, the next stage of the journey begins and we will continue to pray: Jesus, we trust in You.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Permanent Diaconate, contact Deacon Ronnie Macaulay:  macaulay_ronnie@yahoo.co.uk

WATCH: Four men ordained Deacons in Rome

Joshua Moir, 27, from Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, was ordained to the diaconate at the Scots College in Rome this morning (Sunday 2 May).

Archbishop Arthur Roche celebrated the Mass, during which a total of four men became deacons. The Mass is available to watch here. 

Interested in the priesthood or religious life? Have a chat with one of our vocations directors:

 

Q&A: Josh ordained a Deacon on Sunday!

Joshua Moir, 27, from Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, will be ordained to the diaconate at the Scots College in Rome this Sunday (02 May).

Archbishop Arthur Roche will celebrate the Mass, during which he will ordain a total of four men to the Order of Deacons. You can watch the Mass live on YouTube from 10:20am (UK) here. Download the Order of Service to follow along at home here.

...

When and where is your ordination to the diaconate taking place?
Josh Moir: I’ll be ordained a deacon on 2nd May at 10:30am (GMT), in the Chapel of the Scots College, Rome.

What is a ‘transitional’ deacon?
JM: A Deacon is someone who is ordained for service at the altar and in life. While some are called to exercise this state permanently, in my own case I’ll be ordained a Deacon as a preparation for Ordination to the Priesthood in 2021.

Are there others being ordained to the diaconate with you?
JM: I’ll be ordained alongside my year-mates here in the College: Malcolm Hutchison (Dunkeld), Edward Toner (Glasgow) and Kevin Rennie (Galloway) (see main pic). I knew all three before coming to Rome, and it’s been a pleasure and privilege to work alongside them, and to take this step together.

What did you do before becoming a seminarian?
JM: Before beginning my training for the Priesthood, I studied at the University of Edinburgh completing an Honorary Masters in Philosophy and English Literature.

Has anyone helped inspire your journey to the priesthood? 
JM: As a teenager, I was struck by the witness of many good and holy priests working in our Archdiocese and beyond. This witness helped me to realise the necessity of good priests, and gave me occasion to pray about what my own call in life might be.

What advice would you give someone who may be discerning a vocation to the priesthood?
JM: The most important thing is to go before the Lord in prayer, and ask Him how best you might serve Him. If thoughts of a call to the priesthood continue, look for advice and talk it through with a trusted priest or the Vocations Director of the Archdiocese, who can help your discernment.

Interested in the priesthood or religious life? Have a chat with one of our vocations directors:

 

Tranent teacher ‘humbled’ as he is ordained a deacon

A TRANENT teacher has thanked colleagues family and friends after becoming a Catholic deacon.

Eddie White, who teaches maths at Ross High, was ordained to the permanent diaconate at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh on Saturday.

The married dad of three (left) said: "One of the wonderful things about the Permanent diaconate is that we come from so many different walks of life - although I would guess teaching is one of the most common.

“This presented a chance for my family, for parishioners, for colleagues and friends from such a vast range of places to join me, for which I am truly humbled."

At the ceremony, David Edwardson (below) was also ordained a deacon as part of his journey to the priesthood while Tom McEvoy was made an acolyte.

Deacons in the church do not celebrate Mass but can conduct baptisms, weddings and funerals and play a vital role in supporting priests.

Deacon White, who is currently based at St John the Evangelist in Portobello, said he was most looking forward to serving the sick and the marginalised.

(All pictures, Eliza Veitch)