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 their sacred  duties. The duty  and  office  of  the  deacons  consisted  in helping  the  apostles  not  only  in  the  care  of  the  poor,  but  also  in  the cure of  souls. In the  chapter  we  have  just  read,  we  have  seen  that Stephen the  deacon  taught  and  preached,  and  in  the  following  chapter  we shall  see  that  Philip,  another  deacon,  baptized. Deacons are  still  ordained in the  Catholic  Church  by  the  bishop,  as  successor  of  the  apostles;  and the order  is  conferred  in  the  same  way  as  the  apostles  conferred  it, namely, by  the  imposition  of  hands  with  prayer. Deacons are  assistants to bishops  and  priests,  having  authority  to  preach,  to  baptize,  to  assist the priest  at  the  holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  to  give  Holy  Communion; but  they  have  not  the  power  to  change  bread  and  wine  into the Body  and  Blood  of  our  Lord,  or  to  remit  sins. This power  belongs to priests  alone.

The Virtues  shown  by  Stephen  are  as  follows:

1. Living faith,  in  virtue  of  which  he  performed  great  signs  and wonders.

2. Love of  God;  for  he  loved  God  more  than  his  own  life.

3. Love of  his  neighbour,  and  especially  of  the  poor. In his  deathagony  he  thought  more  of  the  sins  of  his  enemies  than  of  his  own sufferings. While their  sins  were  crying  to  heaven  for  vengeance, Stephen cried  to  the  Lord  of  heaven  to  have  mercy  on  his  tormentors.

4. Zeal  for  souls, which  proceeded  from  his  love  for  God  and his neighbour.

5. Wisdom,  as  shown  in  his  explanation  and  defence  of  his  faith.

6. Patience  under  suffering. He  stood  like  an  angel  in  the  midst of his  furious  enemies,  and  no  word  of  complaint  crossed  his  lips.

7. Fortitude,  in  the  strength  of  which  he  confessed  his  faith  without fear, and  sealed  it  with  his  blood.

The Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  said  of  Stephen  that  he  was “filled with  the  Holy  Ghost”;  consequently  he  possessed  all  the  gifts of the  Holy  Ghost. The story  which  we  have  read  proves  that  he did,  indeed,  possess  them,  and  especially  the  gifts  of  wisdom,  fortitude, piety  and  holy  fear.

Happy death.  Holy  Scripture  says  that  Stephen  “fell  asleep  in the  Lord”. As regards  the  body,  death  is  a sleep,  as  was  explained in reference  to  the  raising  to  life  of  Jairus’  daughter  (chapt.  XXX). But, further,  Stephen  fell  asleep  “in  the  Lord”. Such a death  is  truly happy, for  the  soul  which  leaves  the  body  in  a state  of  grace  is  sure to go  to  heaven. “Blessed are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord. From henceforth now,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labours, for their  works  follow  them”  (Apoc.  14,  13). The souls  of  the  just  do not  all  go  to  heaven  immediately  after  death,  not  being  quite  purified. St. Stephen,  however,  went  immediately  to  heaven,  for  not  only  did