Mr Mahony and Lidsdale’s Charles Applin will be ordained as the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst’s first permanent deacons in its 151-year history.

The role of deacon involves a liturgical component (leading or assisting worship, baptising, funerals and celebrating weddings) and connecting with the community.

“We are not a junior priest, it’s a totally different ministry, a distinct role,” Mr Mahony said.

“People will understand that as the ministry evolves.”

Mr Mahony sees his role in three separate areas – service at the altar, proclaiming the word and charity.

“I see charity as a very important part, that’s the practical element ... it’s really the reaching out to the community,” he said. “By serving the community I’m serving God.”

Mr Mahony was principal of the Carenne School from 2004-08, and worked for the Department of Education for 40 years.

He said his new role as deacon allows lay people such as himself to give back to the Catholic church and the community.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to going out through the diocese meeting lots of people,” he said.

For Mr Mahony and his wife of 42 years, Christine, the journey leading up today’s ordination, and into the future, will be one they will take together.

“Our [he and Mr Applin’s] first responsibility is to our wives and our family, this [being a deacon] is a secondary thing, so they have to say they are happy for us to do that,” he said.

“That’s why they [both wives] chose to come along to a lot of the sessions so they knew what was involved and what they were saying yes to.”

The role of a deacon is for life and it will put them in a new and permanent relationship of service to the Bishop and the diocese.

“It is a great honour, but it also has enormous challenges. What we do sets a permanent example for future deacons,” Mr Mahony said. “We have to be aware we will be known as trailblazers.”

Officially, he will now be known as Reverend Mr Terry Mahony, but the new deacon is happy with a less formal approach.

“As long as people know what I do I’m happy for them to call me Terry, I’m just Terry,” he said.

Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna will ordain Mr Mahony and Mr Applin on Friday at 7.30pm in the Cathedral of St Michael and St John.

“They and all of us will learn through trial and error what this call from God will mean in practice,” he said. “However, we shall not be travelling without a map. The renewal of this ministry after the Second Vatican Council is based on a tradition that reaches back to the earliest days of the Church.”