Because Jesus came not to be served but to serve (Mk 10:45), his Mystical Body, the Church, is essentially a servant Church. It's precisely through this service that she carries out her mission.

The ancient diaconate was instituted, and has been restored in our time, not simply to stand alongside priestly, religious, and lay ministry but to imbue and empower each with a renewed sense of service. Indeed, the Greek word diakonia, which is translated in English as "service," can also be translated into the Latin word ministerium, translated in English as "ministry." Thus, when we look at episcopal ministry, priestly ministry, religious ministry, or lay ministry, service is essential to all.

Service is not something we do but someone we give: our very selves. It is an act of love rooted in a divine love already poured out for us. This book provides a radical but thoroughly consistent rethinking of the Christian life that takes up the tradition and builds upon it in a way that is both old and new.

About the Author

Deacon Dominic Cerrato, Ph.D., is editor of OSV's The Deacon magazine, executive director of Diaconal Ministries, and director of the diaconate for the Diocese of Joliet. He also offers spiritual direction through the Pastoral Solutions Institute. Formerly, he served in full-time pastoral ministry, specializing in adult faith formation. In 2020, he was appointed by Pope Francis to the international pontifical commission on women and the diaconate. He and his wife, Judith, have been married for 39 years, and they have ten children and many grandchildren.