Father Cotugno jokes that he works for Deacon Hall.
Deacon Hall calls his chaplaincy and Father Cotugno's overseeing the sacraments at the Capital District Psychiatric Center "a great marriage between a priest and a deacon as far as sharing responsibilities."
It's a fact that the Church is suffering from a shortage of priests, said Deacon Hall. While deacons aren't replacements for priests, he believes the two "can supplement or complement their work" by using the other's abilities.
"What Father Joe and I have is that good relationship between the priest and the deacon," he stated.
In addition, Deacon Hall believes that deacons have a responsibility to extend their ministry beyond churches.
"There's more to the diaconal ministry that is beyond the walls of the parish," he said. "We have a call to hospital ministry, prison ministry, to being a presence in the community in the secular jobs we do."
Ministry with the mentally ill is a beautiful way to serve God's people, he added: "All of us in the diaconal community struggle with that sense of ministry -- where should I go; what should I do? There's this whole segment of people who are marginalized, who are outside the church building, and they need someone to be there for them."
Besides, "people with mental illness are real people. They need to have people see them as unique individuals, God's children. They just have some difficulties coping. They're no different than someone who has high blood pressure and a heart problem. It's an illness." (KB)