The rationale for rebutting the Irish contention simply re-emphasizes the "ontological otherness" of priesthood that is intrinsically distinct from - and thus disassociated from - living the message of Jesus.  
"Our first reason to be deacon is to be of service to the people on the outside of regular society, in the hospitals, jails and city streets".  This man is blown away by the Irish contention?  All this does is to reinforce the notion of priest as a mysterious "sacrament dispensing machine". Of course deacons are not "mini priests". I