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The following list of links aims to be comprehensive in its content of websites concerning the diaconate. Please contact the webspinner if an important site is missing.
UM Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministries The United Methodist Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministries “has general oversight of the processes of preparing persons for ordination as deacons, for those who have been consecrated as diaconal ministers, and those certified in Youth Ministry, Christian Education, Music Ministry, Evangelism, Spiritual Formation, and Camp/Retreat Ministry."”
United Methodist Deaconesses are laywomen who “affirm being called by God to lifetime service through the church; are committed to Christ and dedicated to mission; are committed to ministries of love, justice, and service; are professionally trained in their chosen field; complete theological and missional studies; complete a probationary period of service.”
North American Association for the Diaconate The North American Association for the Diaconate is “an organization in the Anglican churches of North America: the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. We promote renewal of the diaconate. We support deacons and dioceses with deacons. We engage in theological dialogue about diakonia.”
Diaconal Association of the Church of England The Diaconal Association of the Church of England “exists to help the Church of England to develop its distinctive diaconal calling and ministry, to promote the diaconate as a full and equal order, and to support those - both lay and ordained - in such ministry.”
Distinctive Diaconate “is an unofficial Church of England centre which seeks to promote the diaconate as a distinct, full and equal order of the church's historical ministry. It concerns itself not only with questions of a permanent diaconate but also with a better use of the transitional diaconate.” One may subscribe to Distinctive Diaconate News by e-mailing Sr. Teresa Joan White.
US Roman Catholic Secretariat for the Diaconate
The Roman Catholic Secretariat for the Diaconate “guides the restoration fo the Diaconate and development of diaconal ministry” in the United States. This site contains directories of diocesan diaconate offices and offers statistics about the shape of the diaconate.
Roman Catholic International Diaconate Centre

The International Diaconate Centre is “a movement for the renewal of the permanent diaconate in the Catholic Church. [It is] a registered association supported by lay people, theologians, deacons, priests and bishops throughout the world. [The center] collects, transmits and inspires diaconate initiatives and experiences throughout the world.”
The DIAKONIA World Federation is organized into three regions: AFRICA-EUROPE, ASIA-PACIFIC and DOTAC (DIAKONIA of the Americas and the Caribbean).The names of over 50 member organizations in over 30 countries are listed.
Diakonia of the Americas and the Caribbean (DOTAC) is the regional wing of the Diakonia World Federation. The group is comprised of deaconesses, diaconal ministers, and deacons from countries in the Americas and the Caribbean. The Lutheran Deaconess Association, the United Methodist diaconate, and the North American Association for the Diaconate (Episcopalian) are all members of DOTAC.
The Diakoniewissenschaftliches Institut (Diaconal Science Institute) of the University of Heidelberg is dedicated to teaching and research in the theory and practice of “diakonie” - the social responsibility of the church. It traces its origins to the Inner Mission movement of 19th century Germany. Bibliographies on this site illustrate the nature of the Institute's work.
The Lutheran Deaconess Association is comprised of deaconesses who are in the ELCA or the Missouri Synod. This site provides information for Lutherans in the U.S. on how to become a deaconess, the various ways deaconesses are trained, and some personal stories of Lutheran deaconesses.
The Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America describes itself as “a community of women consecrated by the church to a ministry of Word and Service. We work in a variety of settings - in health care, Christian education, social services, cities and rural areas. Deaconesses are theologically trained and professionally prepared for their careers.”
The ELCA-New York Synod Diakonia program offers a training program in diakonia. Those who complete this program may subsequently become “synodical deacons.” This website gives information on how the training program is structured.
This website describes the Synodical Diaconate program for the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod.
Kaiserswerther Diakonie traces its origins to Theodore and Friederike Fliedner who founded a diaconal ministry in 1836 to assist women recently released from prison. The Kaiserswerth motherhouse was the first of a tradition of deaconess motherhouses which remain to this day.
Founded in 1854, Diakonie Neuendettelsau is the oldest Lutheran institution for social welfare in Bavaria, Germany. Wilhelm Loehe, a pastor in Neuendettelsau in the 19th century, founded diaconal institutions in that city and sent deaconess missionaries to the Americas. Today, Diakonie Neuendetteslau is a large center with thousands of employees and many different ministries.
Diakonischen Werks is the parent organization for social work (diaconal work) in the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). The German “diakonie” websites listed below provide indexes for many other sites.
Diakonie von A-Z provides a searchable directory of diaconal organizations in Germany.
Oulun Diakonissalaitos is a diaconal organization in Finland.
Stiftelsen Bräcke Diakonigård is a diaconal organization with roots in the Church of Sweden's traditions of social engagement.
Vårsta Diakonigård is an independent foundation affiliated to the Church of Sweden with the aim of promoting Christian social and diaconical work. Vårsta is located in Härnösand, Sweden.

This page describes Diaconal Ministry in the United Church of Canada.
The Order of Diaconal Ministries of the Presbyterian Church of Canada traces its heritage to the Ewart Missionary Training Home which began in Toto in 1897. The Order of Deaconesses began in the Presbyterian Church of Canada in 1908.
This section of the Womenpriests.org website presents an argument for why women should be ordained as deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.
Deacons Place serves primarily an information sharing role for permanent deacons in the Roman Catholic Church. Key articles and official documents on the diaconate from the Vatican are offered on this site in addition to a rather active bulletin board discussion.
Deacons in the Uniting Church in Australia “are ministers who are ordained to work primarily in the non church community, dealing with issues of social justice, empowering the marginalised to regain a measure of power in the community. The first deacons were ordained in the UCA in 1992.”
The Australian Anglican Diaconal Organization “exists for the purpose of uniting Australian Anglican Diaconal workers in fellowship.” This site also contains the Aussie Deacon Newsletter which may be downloaded.