An apparatus for delivering a medical device onto a heart includes a housing within which is releasably disposed the medical device. The housing in one embodiment comprises inner and outer deflectors between which is delivered the medical device. Both deflectors are self-expanding. A deflector compression sheath is slidable longitudinally over the housing to a delivery position at which it moves the deflectors to a collapsed configuration. The compression sheath is retracted to a deployment position to permit the deflectors to deploy by self-expanding to their larger diameters. The outer deflector has an expanded diameter sufficient to engage the inner surface of the pericardium to hold it away from the delivery site while the second deflector guides the medical device into position over the heart while protecting the heart. In another embodiment, the housing includes only an outer deflector. The apparatus also functions as an introducer when the compression sheath is moved to the delivery or “introducer” position at which configuration, the apparatus functions as an introducer.