He loves serving the Lord:
Newly-ordained permanent deacon Reverend Mr. James Mahoney

By Patricia Shelton
Special to The CS&T

The African American Catholic community has been blessed by the ordination of a new permanent deacon. Rev. Mr. James Mahoney, a parishioner at Saint Benedict Church in Cluster 18, was ordained by Cardinal Justin Rigali on June 6, 2004.
Deacon Mahoney is a very busy man. He is a husband, father of three daughters, and a very young grandfather of two.
Mahoney works for Educational Testing Service in the Scholarship and Recognition Programs Division. ETS provides administrative services to corporations, foundations, fraternal organizations, and labor unions for their educational programs or student scholarships.
In addition to being a founder and Grand Knight of Saint Peter Claver, Council 368, and an active parishioner at St. Benedict’s, Mahoney is now a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is assigned to his home parish, where Father George Moore is the pastor.
In 1967, the Holy See in Rome restored to practice the permanent deaconate. Roman Catholic permanent deacons are called to a life of service to God’s people through word, sacrament and charity. Permanent deacons are ordained ministers who can perform all of the functions associated with their order. These duties include proclaiming the Gospel, preaching the homily, and assisting the priest at Mass.
In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, permanent deacons may also administer baptism; give communion; teach religious education; preside over wake services, and funeral and burial services (except, of course, the celebration of Mass), and act as the official ‘witness’ at the weddings of family members. Permanent deacons offer service to those who are most in need at parishes and in the Archdiocese, such as people in prisons, nursing homes and hospitals, as well as the home-bound. There are now 13 African American permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Although Mahoney’s schedule is a very busy one, he says it doesn’t matter because he loves serving the Lord.
“I pray daily that I always recognize that the Lord is doing the work. As soon as I say I’m responsible, and don't give God the glory and proper credit, that’s when I'll fail. I like to think of myself as a half decent conduit for Him to work through.”

Patricia Shelton served as director of the archdiocesan Office for Black Catholics for 16 years.