Me, I was finishing the second grade at St. Peter’s School in Olney, Maryland. I could never have imagined what was transpiring in Rome that day, or how it would change my life.

But leave it to Doc Mac to point out something most deacons may not be aware of: today marks the 42nd anniversary of Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem, the motu proprio subtitled “General Norms for Restoring the Permanent Diaconate in the Latin Church.”

In other words, this is the day it all began.

Happy anniversary.

Meantime, if you have a moment, go back and re-read Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem. It’s interesting to note that, when the pontiff outlined the duties of deacons, the first eight were entirely liturgical; the deacon’s first function, in fact, was “to assist the bishop and the priest during liturgical actions in all things which the rituals of the different orders assign to him.” Surprisingly, the notion of service and charity was ninth on the list.

As an ironic foonote: 60 years ago today, my mother and father were married. Happy anniversary, Mom & Dad!