Archbishop Justin Rigali of St. Louis told permanent deacons during a convention of the National Association of Diaconate Directors, that the deacon’s role "is one of generous, patient and self-effacing collaboration. No act of service in the parish or diocese is beneath your dignity. No need in the church is outside the sphere of your sacramental service." He added that "no contribution of yours will surpass that of charity and the promotion of church unity . . . Your ministry is a ministry of charity that takes you into the world and plunges you in the midst of those who are in need of everything, but especially in need of Christ."

According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a Catholic research agency based at Georgetown University in Washington, for the first time in five years, the number of students in U. S. Catholic seminary theologates dropped in the 2002-03 academic year. In the fall of 2002-03 there were 3,414 theologate students, down 170 from the year before. The number of college seminarians also declined, hitting a modern low of 1,376 — down 218 from last year’s 1,594. And the number of student in permanent deaconate formation programs registered a slight decline. Catholic ecclesial lay ministry formation programs, however, registered an enrollment increase of more than 1,000, from 34,414 in 2001-02 to 35,448 in the current year.

"When I think of the eucharist and look at my life as a priest, as a bishop and as the successor of Peter, I naturally recall the many time and places in which I was able to celebrate it…. This varied scenario of celebrations of the eucharist has given me a powerful experience of its universal and, so to speak, cosmic character. Yes, cosmic! Because even when it is celebrated on the humble altar of a country church, the eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world. It unites heaven and earth. It embraces and permeates all creation." (No.8)…

… "Mary is a ‘woman of the eucharist’ in her whole life. The church … [is] called to imitate her in her relationship with this most holy mystery….There is a profound analogy between the fiat which Mary said in reply to the angel and the amen which every believer says when receiving the body of the Lord….If the church and the eucharist are inseparably united, the same ought to be said of Mary and the Eucharistic celebrations of the churches of East and West." (Nos. 53, 55, 57)...

… "Incorporation into Christ, which is brought about by baptism, is constantly renewed and consolidated by sharing in the Eucharistic sacrifice, especially by that full sharing which takes place in sacramental communion. We can say not only that each of us receives Christ, but also that Christ receives each of us. He enters into friendship with us... Eucharistic communion brings about in a sublime way the mutual ‘abiding’ of Christ and each of his followers: ‘Abide in me, and I in you’ (Jn. 15:4)." (No. 22)