At the canonizations: “I wanted to minister literally to the fringes”

CNS wrote about the extraordinary number of people who attended the canonizations this morning—and spoke with a certain deacon who said something wise and, in fact, moving:

About 150 cardinals and 700 bishops concelebrated the Mass. About 6,000 priests attended, as well as deacons, to help distribute Communion to as many people as possible.

U.S. Deacon William Ditewig of the Diocese of Monterey, Calif., specifically asked Vatican organizers to place him as far away from the main square as possible.

Deacon Ditewig told CNS he was inspired by Pope Francis’ call to minister to the “peripheries,” and “I wanted to minister literally to the fringes.

“These people went to all this trouble to be here, I wanted to distribute Communion as far away as possible” and help everyone feel a part of the ceremony.

He said he hoped to inspire those who might be disappointed with being so far away from the main event “with my demeanor of joy. This is a pilgrimage, not a tour, so I hope through demeanor and action,” he could uphold the ideals of celebration, sacrifice and humility.

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