top of page
Diaconal Ministries Menu
Books by Deacon Dominic
Living the Servant Mysteries
A Comprehensive Guide to the Diaconate
Living the Servant Mysteries is unlike any other resource available to deacons today, offering a comprehensive, deeply integrated vision of the diaconate that moves far beyond technique to touch the heart of the vocation itself. Drawing upon Scripture, the living Tradition, the Magisterium, and the RIM Dynamic of Relationship, Identity, and Mission, this textbook invites the deacon and those in formation not simply to understand the diaconate, but to be continually transformed by Christ the Servant whom he sacramentally embodies. With contributions from scholars and pastors chosen for their expertise, unified through a coherent theological and spiritual framework, this book becomes a true com- companion on the diaconal journey, awakening deeper communion with Christ, enriching ministry at the altar and in the world, and renewing the deacon’s call to be a living icon of the Lord who stoops to wash feet.
panion on the diaconal journey, awakening deeper communion with Christ, enriching ministry at the altar and in the world, and renewing the deacon’s call to be a living icon of the Lord who stoops to wash feet.
Available in the Spring of 2026
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Grounding Our Approach
Chapter 2: The Diaconate in the Mystery of Salvation
Chapter 3: Key Theological Aspects
Chapter 4: The Servant Mysteries
Chapter 5: Discerning the Diaconate
Chapter 6: History of the Diaconate
Chapter 7: Philosophy the Handmaid of Theology
Chapter 8: Liturgy and the Diaconate
Chapter 9: Deacon, Missionary of he New Evangelization
Chapter 10: Servant Leadership
Chapter 11: Catholic Social Teaching
Chapter 12: Deacons in the Eastern Church
Chapter 13: Preaching and the Diaconate
Chapter 14: Deacons in the Context of Canon Law
Chapter 15: Marriage and the Diaconate
Chapter 16: The Gift of Celibacy
Chapter 17: Women and the Diaconate
Chapter 18: Mary, Mother of the Diaconate
As I Have Loved You
As I Have Loved You offers priests and deacons a profoundly original and much-needed vision of ordained ministry, revealing how the three grades of Holy Orders—bishop, priest, and deacon—find their true identity and mission only in a rediscovered unity rooted in Christ the Servant. Far from a functional or managerial approach to collaboration, this book uncovers the deep Christological and sacramental foundations that bind clergy together, showing how authentic communion arises from interior transformation, shared vulnerability, and the grace of serving side-by-side in the vineyard. By integrating Scripture, Tradition, the personalism of Saint John Paul II, and the RIM Dynamic of Relationship, Identity, and Mission, it provides both theological clarity and practical pathways for healing divisions, renewing fraternity, and strengthening the Church’s witness. Priests and deacons alike will encounter here not merely a set of insights, but a spiritual roadmap for living their ordination “as one” in the Heart of Christ, so that the Church may shine more fully with the unity for which the Lord prayed.
Encountering Christ the Servant
Encountering Christ the Servant offers deacons a singular and transformative resource, inviting them beyond functional ministry into a living, intimate communion with the One to whom they were sacramentally configured at ordination. In a Church filled with excellent pastoral guides, this book stands apart by revealing the interior life not as an optional practice but as the very place where the deacon discovers Christ the Servant dwelling within him, shaping his identity, and animating every act of his ministry. Through a careful integration of Scripture, Tradition, the mystical heritage of the saints, and a deeply personal theological reflection, it uncovers the Servant Mysteries as a path of ongoing conversion—teaching deacons how to breathe in the love of God and breathe out that same love in service to His people. Rich, prayerful, and profoundly rooted in the Church’s spiritual tradition, this book becomes a companion on the journey, helping deacons grow in empathy, overcome interior struggle, and live their diaconate with a renewed intentionality that reveals Christ the Servant to the world.
Discovering Christ the Servant
Discovering Christ the Servant offers lay readers a rare and transformative invitation to see their daily lives through the eyes of Christ who bends low in love. While rooted in a theology often associated with the diaconate, the book reveals that every baptized Christian shares in Christ’s own servanthood and is called to embody His self-giving love in family life, work, parish service, and the hidden moments of ordinary days. By weaving together the primacy of the interior life, the grace of the present moment, and the beauty of living the Servant Mysteries, it guides the laity toward a deeper, more contemplative discipleship that is neither abstract nor burdensome, but intensely practical and life-giving. This work stands out because it brings the riches of diaconal spirituality into the heart of everyday Christian life, helping readers embrace a spirituality of service that is grounded in prayer, shaped by divine love, and lived with renewed purpose and joy.
Battle in the Pacific
Battle in the Pacific represents a striking literary departure for Deacon Dominic Cerrato, offering a richly crafted narrative that immerses readers in the courage and hardship of one of World War II’s most dramatic naval engagements. Written explicitly as a tribute, the book honors the extraordinary bravery of Commander Ernest Evans, the crew of the USS Johnston, and the men of Taffy 3, whose resolve against overwhelming odds remains one of the most inspiring stories in American military history. Through meticulous research and deeply human storytelling, this work preserves their legacy with reverence and vivid detail, inviting readers of every background to remember, admire, and be moved by the brotherhood, sacrifice, and steadfast spirit that defined their stand in the Pacific.
bottom of page