New Class of Affiliate: Associate Deacon Chaplain

The Board of Directors has created a new class of affiliate chaplain, officially entitled “Associate Deacon Chaplain of the Federal Association.”  Currently, permanent deacons are ineligible to be invested as Members of the Order, since they are considered clerics, and investiture in the Order as a Knight of Magistral Grace is restricted to laymen.  However, permanent deacons are also ineligible for investiture as magistral chaplains since the Order’s chaplains must be priests.  Thus permanent deacons are caught in a Catch 22 which precludes them from any type of official membership in the Order of Malta. 

Recognizing the contributions of permanent deacons who donate substantial time to promoting the works of the Order, the Federal Association has created a class of affiliates to the association known as “Associate Deacon Chaplains.”  Though not officially Members of the Order, they are nonetheless affiliated with the Federal Association, and will be listed with the chaplains in the directory and provided newsletters and invitations to association events that would be otherwise open to chaplains.  After appointment, associate deacon chaplains will be recognized at the Investiture mass by presenting them with a diaconal stole.  Membership is limited to permanent deacons who have spent at least three years working with Members providing spiritual guidance, assisting at regional Masses, and working with the Order in its projects.  Members who later become permanent deacons are ineligible for this affiliation.

The first associate deacon chaplain for the Federal Association will be Deacon Jeff Drzycimski of Memphis, Tennessee.  Deacon Jeff is well known to our members as host of the Catholic Cafe radio program, the principal defense of the faith initiative of the Federal Association.  Deacon Jeff has hosted and served as executive director of the Catholic Cafe since it was founded in 2008.  Deacon Jeff has also traveled with the Federal Association on five separate pilgrimages to Lourdes.  He also accompanied the association on pilgrimage to Rome for the 900th anniversary of the Order.  Deacon Jeff will be recognized at the Investiture Mass in Washington this September.