Effective August 10, 2019, the Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Bishop Thomas has given permission to the deacons of the Diocese of Toledo, if they so choose, to wear a gray clerical shirt when they are exercising their diaconal ministry in the diocese. The Bishop’s permission comes in response to a recommendation made by the diocesan Deacon Council. The permission to wear clerical attire in ministerial settings, if the deacon so chooses, is meant to assist the deacon as a visible sign of his ministry of service and to help the faithful recognize the role of deacons in the life of the Church. Deacons are members of the Catholic clergy. The wearing of the gray clerical shirt is strictly optional on the part of the deacon.