First of all, a special thanks to Ian McGinnity and his team of helpers for organising the NCP National Conference at Parramatta. The venue was superb, the guest speakers were brilliant, the discussions were robust, the atmosphere most welcoming, the free afternoon relaxing and enjoyable.

Paul Simmons, a Deacon of the Broken Bay Diocese, was appointed as National Coordinator of Deacons by the ACBC in 2007, and has just been re-appointed for a further three year term.

This is a part-time position and is accountable, through the Director of Clergy Life and Ministry to the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry, and
in turn is accountable to the Bishops Conference, for the coordination and promotion of the permanent diaconate in Australia.

Following our Executive Meeting in Melbourne last February, several of our members have been gathering information on possible venues for our 2011 National Conference. Several locations have been proposed and are in the last stages of evaluation.

The Executive of the National Association of Deacons came together for our annual Face to Face meeting late on Sunday February 2010, at the Treacy Convention Centre at Parkville.

With our 2009 National Conference now past history, we are beginning to look to the future planning of our next conference and the stages leading up to the event.

Thirty-one deacons, seventeen wives, four aspirants – from every state and territory, and Fr Frank Devoy, the Director of the Office for Clergy Life and Ministry, gathered together over the four days to share, to listen, to celebrate and to pray together. We were indeed blessed by the guest speakers who affirmed us, informed us and challenged us to be the best deacons possible.

Our National Deacons Conference will be held from 6 – 9 August, 2009 at the Caroline Chisholm Centre at Pennant Hills in the Diocese of Broken Bay. We thank Bishop David Walker and the Diocese for their generous sponsorship and encouragement. Also, we acknowledge and value sponsorship from the Manly Union and the Australian Catholic University. The conference, usually held every two years, was put off from last year because of World Youth Day. The National Committee of Deacons has spent many hours putting together a variety of well-known presenters and general organisation. At this time, our only concern has been the numbers that have registered, whether because of the present economic situation or the “swine flu” scare.

These are the moments to remember during the year when our spirits may tend to flag somewhat as we try to manage our commitments to our family and our church. A priest, during a recent discussion on priesthood and diaconate, said that priesthood was a lot simpler in that they were only answerable to one vocation. But then we have wonderful supportive wives and family. As someone once said, “Priests have better quarters – deacons have better halves!”.