Permanent Diaconate Information

Cover

The Vocation of a Deacon

A brief history of the diaconate

A brief history of the diaconate

The diaconate is not new to the Church. In our ancient tradition, St. Irenaeus identified the beginning of the diaconate when the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6:1-6) describes the selection of “seven good men” to assist the apostles in their mission. We read about the formal office of the deacon and how bishops and deacons are to act in 1 Tim 3:1-13. Deacons played a prominent role in the early Church as the devoted assistants of bishops and popes. Moreover, the early Church Fathers wrote on numerous occasions about the indispensable role and function of the deacon.

Some prominent deacon saints in the Church are St. Stephen, the first martyr; St. Philip the Evangelist; St. Lawrence of Rome; St. Ephrem, Doctor of the Church; St. Vincent of Saragossa; and St. Francis of Assisi.

By the 4th century the role of the deacon and priest began to change gradually due to the rapid growth of the Church following the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire. Priests were given increasing authority over local communities in the absence of a bishop, which created a greater demand for priests. As a result, deacons became logical candidates for ordination to the priesthood. By the 7th century, the permanent order of deacon had transitioned into a temporary stepping stone (often for less than one year) on the path to priesthood, rather than the more distinct order as had existed in the Early Church.

At the Council of Trent in the 16th Century, the idea of restoring the diaconate to its more permanent and pastoral state began to emerge, but ultimately was not addressed given other priorities at that time associated with the Protestant Reformation. Discussions about restoring the permanent diaconate arose again in the priest cell blocks of German concentration camps during World War II. Many believed that a permanent diaconal presence (i.e., having ordained Catholic clergy living and working directly among the people) would have been helpful in combating the horrific spread of fascism in Europe. Theological discussions continued following the war; at the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) the bishops, under the authority of Pope John XXIII, revisited the sacramental nature of the hierarchy of Holy Orders in the Church – bishop, priest and deacon. In Lumen Gentium (The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) they permitted the ability to restore the permanency of the diaconate. In 1968 the U.S. Conference of Bishops petitioned and received approval to restore the permanency of the diaconate in the United States. In 2001, Bishop William L. Higi, opened the permanent diaconate in our diocese. The first class was ordained in 2005.

Vocation and Discernment

Vocation and Discernment

Everyone in the Church has a vocation by virtue of their baptism. The universal call of baptism for all Christians is to grow in holiness through God’s grace and to share God’s love in charitable service to our neighbor. Understanding your particular vocational call involves taking the time to discern how God wants to use your particular gifts and talents in the Church as either a lay leader, consecrated religious, or ordained clergy. The process of understanding your vocation is usually referred to as discernment. Proper discernment is hard work! It takes time and requires the use of effective discernment methods, the guidance of experienced spiritual directors, affirmation from the Church, deep personal reflection and much prayer. Discernment is ultimately about submitting your will to do God’s will and about whether you are called to a particular vocation such as the diaconate.

It is also important to recognize that submission of an application for diaconate formation does not represent a 'final commitment' but instead a beginning to formal discernment alongside the Church. Discernment begins when the man and wife (if married), working in consultation with their pastor, believe a call to the diaconate may be present, but continues formally through the initial year of Inquiry, continuing through the Aspirancy and Candidacy phases.

What is the vocation of a deacon?

What is the vocation of a deacon?

Deacons are men ordained to share in the bishop’s apostolic mission in all things to which they are assigned except the ministerial priesthood. The bishop represents the fullness of priesthood and servanthood to the Local Church as a successor to the Apostles. Priests and deacons share in his mission, but in different ways. Deacons are ordained in the Sacrament of Holy Orders to a threefold ministry of service in Word, Liturgy and Charity. A deacon receives the grace of Holy Orders to sustain him in this ministry. He makes sacred, lifelong promises of obedience and respect to serve the bishop in the ministry which the bishop chooses for him. Deacons are called to inspire and animate others to service by their example in service and are a pastoral leader in the community. Because deacons must be financially stable and self-sufficient, they continue to support themselves and their family while offering a minimum of ten to twelve hours per week in uncompensated service to the diocese in addition to liturgical and pastoral activities in their parish.

What does a deacon do?

What does a deacon do?
Using the deacon’s threefold ministry of service as a guide, a deacon may do the following:
- Ministry of Charity – the ministry of charity is primary to the vocation of a deacon. In addition to inspiring and animating others toward the charitable mission of the Church, a deacon is ordained to provide corporal and spiritual works of mercy such as caring for the sick and dying, prison ministry, working with the poor, Hispanic ministry, pastoral counseling, diocesan administration and any other ministries as assigned and directed by the bishop.
- Ministry of the Word – A deacon proclaims the Gospel at Mass and he preaches, teaches and witnesses the Gospel.
- Ministry of the Liturgy – A deacon assists the priest or bishop at Mass and at other liturgies and may preside the absence of a priest at baptisms, weddings, funerals, communion services, benediction, blessings and lead community prayer.

How is a deacon different than a priest?

How is a deacon different than a priest?

A priest shares in the apostolic mission of the bishop, being ordained to the ministerial priesthood. He consecrates the Eucharist, absolves sins, anoints the sick, baptizes, witnesses marriages, presides at funerals, benediction, blessings and leads the community in prayer. Some priests become pastors who oversee parishes for the bishop. Latin Rite priests cannot be married prior to ordination and must make sacred, lifelong promises to remain celibate. Priests are also provided with basic compensation, benefits and room and board in order to work and live for the Church full time.

A deacon is an icon of Christ the Servant, ordained to a ministry of service in the Church. Consistent with the practice of the early Church (1 Tim 3:1-16; 1 Cor 9:5; Mark 1:29-31; and Titus 1:4-7) and consistent with the two-thousand-year tradition of the Eastern Rites of the Church, a deacon may be married. He must provide for all of his financial needs (including those of his family) while serving at least ten to twelve hours per week in uncompensated ministry to the diocese while also fulfilling his liturgical and pastoral assignment. A key distinction from priests is that deacons do not celebrate the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Penance, nor the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Deacons may, in the absence of a priest, perform certain blessings, lead prayer services, baptize, preside at weddings and funerals (outside of Mass), preach, teach and counsel.

How is a deacon different than a lay person?

How is a deacon different than a lay person?

Like the laity, deacons live in a secular setting with their family, their home and their work. However, deacons are different in that through their ordination they receive the sacramental grace of Holy Orders to sustain them in their promises of lifelong obedience to serve the bishop and his successors. Deacons are also ordinary ministers of Holy Communion and may celebrate certain sacraments (Baptism and Matrimony) and liturgical rites (funerals, benediction and blessings) in the absence of a priest. Deacons receive substantial formation before being ordained (at least six years and over 1,100 hours in duration), receive continuing education following ordination of at least twelve hours per year and attend annual retreats. Deacons make sacred promises to serve at least ten to twelve hours per week in uncompensated ministry, to pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily, to live in the diocese for life and to be open to whatever diocesan or parish ministry assignments are made by the bishop. It is critical that deacons can properly balance their family life, work and ordained life.

Sacrificial life of a deacon

Sacrificial life of a deacon

Some mistakenly believe that the vocation of a deacon is not as sacrificial as that of other vocations in the Church. Like all vocations in the Church, a deacon’s sacrifices are not “lesser”, but they are “different”. First, the deacon is not compensated financially by the Church with a salary, benefits, education, and a place to live, nor do they have a religious community to provide support. His service is totally gratuitous (not paid like a lay professional) and a deacon must pay the costs of most of his own formation. The deacon serves while still providing for his own livelihood, home, family, healthcare, retirement and all other financial needs. Just as a priest or consecrated religious makes a gift of themselves to the Church in celibacy, a deacon makes a total gift of service to the bishop without receiving any financial compensation or support.

A deacon’s service to the Church is not “part-time”. Deacons are an ordained presence of Christ the Servant in the secular world because the deacon is immersed in his workplace and in the lay community. A deacon must also actively balance his time for Church, spouse, children, work and himself. His time for the diaconal vocation is not secondary to his other commitments, and he must master balancing priorities. The man and his wife and family must evidence an intense desire and love to serve the Church in radical self-giving and availability.

Finally, a deacon does not choose his ministry. He must go and do as the bishop desires because he shares in the apostolic mission of the bishop under sacred promises of obedience and respect. A deacon and his family must also be willing to move from their parish of origin and accept assignment to a different parish from the bishop. A deacon is never required to leave his home or his employment (since this is his means of support). However, he must be open to serving in parishes and places where the bishop directs, which may be outside his parish of origin.

What about a deacon's wife and family?

What about a deacon's wife and family?

Unlike a Latin Rite priest, a deacon may be married before ordination; however, he promises not to remarry should his wife die after his ordination. With the assistance of his wife, a deacon must properly balance the responsibilities of being a husband and perhaps a father, along with being a member of the clergy. During formation this balance is discussed, practiced, and assessed.

What if we are still raising children?

What if we are still raising children?

A common challenge for those discerning a call to the diaconate in the Church is whether to proceed with formation if there are still dependent children living at home. When this is the case, a common misstep is for parents to simply conclude on their own whether or not to proceed without first having direct, detailed discussions with the representatives of the formation team on this subject.

There are many factors to consider, and each situation is unique given the size, age of children, available support systems and resources of the family. The best and most effective way to discern is to become fully informed and discern in concert with the Church. Having direct discussions will help parents get a much better understanding of not only the obligations involved, but how to weigh all the relevant factors properly, which often get overlooked.

Parents tend to be focused primarily on the education and extracurricular activities of their children. However, the single greatest priority of any Catholic, including children, should be to know, love and serve God. In the sacrament of marriage, spouses promise God not only to procreate children, but to order the lives of their entire family to God. This sacred promise is made again at the baptism of each child. A father in pursuit of a diaconal vocation and a mother supporting him in service to the Church, serve as a preeminent model to the children of making Christ their great priority. St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland and one of the most prominent saints in the Church was raised by a father (Calpurnius) who was a deacon in the Church.

Even though education, athletics, the arts and other activities may be edifying for a child’s life, none of these compare to the call to pursue holiness and dynamically seek eternal salvation. Sadly, in our culture, it is common for children to be led away from Christ in the pursuit of education, career and extracurricular activities. Asking children to make some personal sacrifices to know, love and serve God as their great priority in their life should be the primary occupation of all families. The question becomes one of setting proper priorities and achieving balance and the Church will help you discern this.

It is important to remember that discernment of the vocation of a deacon continues over the entire formation period. Parents are not making a lifelong commitment to be a deacon upon submitting an application but are merely beginning the process of discernment. Diaconal formation attempts to mirror the commitments of a deacon upon ordination, so formation is the proper time and method to assess whether or not one is indeed able or not to proceed with the final, sacred promises of ordination. At any time an applicant may discern to exit formation. If the parents and the Church discern that the time is not right to continue with formation, then a man who is still truly called to the diaconate may continue discernment on his own by taking courses and/or engaging in ministry experiences (to a lesser extent than regular formation). The formation team will be happy to provide guidance in such circumstances to help ensure that proper choices are made and to help with proper balancing of family and work obligations.

Finally, it is important to remember as you discern a vocation to the diaconate that most of the Apostles and first disciples were married men (1 Corinthians 9:5), including St. Peter, (Mark 2: 29-31), all of whom picked up their crosses and followed when Christ called them to service.

Key Behaviors and Qualities for Diaconal Ministry

The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons prepared by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sets forth guidelines to give direction in the selection, discernment and preparation of qualified men for diaconal ministry.

Patterns of behavior needed for diaconal service include:

Natural inclination to service
Psychological integrity
Capacity for dialog, docility and openness
Ability to share one’s faith, open to other points of view
Capacity to listen carefully
Respect of others, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, culture

Good communication skills
Sense of responsibility
Timeliness
Self-directed and collaborative, displays accountability
Displays balanced and prudent judgment
Generosity in service
Ability to lead, motivate, animate others into action and service

Spiritual and evangelical qualities needed for this ministry include:

Sound faith
Good Christian reputation
Active Involvement
Personal integrity
Maturity
Holiness
Regular participation in Church’s sacramental life
Evidence of recognized, ongoing commitment to Church’s life and service
Participation in faith enrichment opportunities

Positive and stable marriage, if married
Mature celibate state of life, if single
Active membership in the Christian community
Capacity for obedience and fraternal communion
Deep spirituality and prayer life
Demonstrates kindness and humility
Commitments of family, career, employment, community and Church service
Readiness and timeliness of response to a vocation

Admission Criteria

Admission Criteria
To be considered for admission to formation, the man must possess the traits mentioned earlier and at time of application:
- Be between 30 and 58 years old (ordination by age 65).
- Be in good standing in the Church.
- Not be subject to any canonical legal impediments.
- Be a fully initiated Catholic for at least 5 years.
- Reside within the diocese and registered in a parish in the diocese for at least 3 years.
- Provide references including one from his pastor, one from another priest or deacon and three from those involved in ministry with the applicant.
- Be a high school graduate or hold a GED.
- Be capable of completing college-level academic coursework.
- Intend to reside within the diocese and commit to a minimum of 10 years of service to the diocese following ordination.
- If married, demonstrate at least 7 years of valid, stable marriage, and have the informed support of your wife.
- If single, demonstrate a mature celibate state of life and promise lifelong celibacy after ordination.
- If there was a prior marriage, possess a decree of nullity.
- If there are dependent children or dependent adults, demonstrate the ability to provide for their proper care during and after formation, while balancing diaconal duties.
- Be in good health, both physically and mentally.
- Agree to all formation guidelines and policies.
- Provide detailed background information for areas such as education, etc.
- Undergo psychological, marital and other assessments.
- Complete the diocesan Safe Conduct Protocol training and background check for working with minors.
- Attend monthly formation weekends.
- Attend weekly academic courses and field internships.
- Meet any other requirements as determined by the diocese.
- Pay the costs of formation for both the man and wife.

Application Process

Application Process

Serving the Church in Holy Orders is a privilege, not a right. The “call” must be affirmed in and through the Church. The application, one-year inquiry and five-year formation phases are designed to facilitate the affirmation of a vocation.

Men discerning a call to the permanent diaconate should first include their pastor in their discernment and schedule a meeting with the vocations coordinator (contact information on the front cover). The vocations coordinator will collect initial intake materials and have introductory discussions with the man and his wife explaining the diaconate, the formation process and address any questions.

Deacons are formed in cohorts (groups of men assembled at the same time to begin formation) which will be started from time to time at the discretion of the diocese. A formal application package will be extended beginning one year prior to the start of the initial Inquiry phase of a cohort.

Once the application is extended the applicant will need to gather important background and corroborative materials for submission. The application process is extensive, and it may take several weeks or months to complete. The diocese may request additional information or collaborative materials if needed to make an informed decision about the application. Applications which are incomplete may be rejected. The application package must be complete and submitted in order to enter the Inquiry phase.

If married, the wife must also complete a detailed application and is required to meet many of the same criteria mentioned above except for those only applicable to the man (such as academics, age, etc.)

The Inquiry phase lasts for one year and aids the man and wife in the discernment process through participation in conferences and spiritual life development activities. Inquiry also introduces a less demanding time commitment to help assess compatibility with the time commitment for full formation. Both men and wives attend Inquiry sessions.

The admissions process into formal formation occurs during the Inquiry phase. Various independent assessments (psychological, marital, diaconal, etc.) will be performed with the applicant and wife. The application package will be reviewed by the diocesan Admissions Committee. A panel interview may be extended to the applicant once the application has been reviewed. The panel interview provides the opportunity for the Admissions Committee to ask further questions of the man and wife regarding the application.

Following the panel interview, the Admissions Committee will determine whether the man is called to continue formation into the first year of Aspirancy. The applicant may be accepted into Aspirancy, deferred to a future cohort, or advised that the Church does not discern a call to the diaconal vocation. The review, interview and notification are completed prior to the end of the Inquiry phase.

Formation Dimensions

Formation Dimensions
Per the national standards set forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, formation in the diaconate is conducted in five dimensions:
- Human – assessing personality, maturity, self-awareness and developing qualities needed to relate well with others in ministry settings.
- Spiritual – developing and implementing a proper discernment and spiritual life plan in order to live the vocation of deacon in the sound tradition of the Church.
- Pastoral – developing skills to identify and be able to provide works of mercy.
- Intellectual – academic formation in college-level theology courses developing the ability to teach, preach, counsel and serve effectively.
- Diaconal – those traits and skills identified and associated with diaconal service in the Church.

Formation Phases

Formation follows an academic year calendar (August to May). Following the Inquiry phase, the first two years of formation are known as Aspirancy and the final three years are known as Candidacy.

Phase	Duration	Spiritual & Pastoral	Intellectual	Field Internships
Inquiry	1 year	10 monthly half-days	n/a	n/a
Aspirancy	2 years	10 monthly weekends every year	1 evening per week every year	2-3 hours per week
Candidacy	3 years	10 monthly weekends every year	1 evening per week every year	2-3 hours per week

In the Inquiry phase, the man and his wife (if married) will attend ten half-day sessions on Saturday mornings at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Kokomo. The focus of the year of Inquiry is to expose the couple to the diaconal vocation and provide guidance in discerning a vocation.

For men admitted into the Aspirancy and Candidacy phases, the man and his wife (if married) will attend ten weekend sessions per year at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Kokomo in order to continue discernment of the diaconal vocation and to become formed in the human, spiritual, pastoral and diaconal dimensions. Some of the components of the weekend formation include discernment exercises, marriage enrichment, spiritual exercises, theological reflections, catechetical presentation skills, pastoral counseling, homiletics and liturgical practicums. Men and wives are required to attend the Saturday sessions while only the men return on Sundays. A sample weekend schedule is as follows:

Saturday (Required for couple)			Sunday (Men only)
8:00	9:00	Holy Hour & Morning Prayer	Family Time
9:00	9:15	Break
9:15	9:45	Admin/Check In
9:45	10:45	Segment 1 Part 1
10:45	11:00	Break
11:00	11:45	Segment 1 Part 2
11:45	12:00	Midday, Marian Meal Prayers
12:00	12:45	Lunch	12:00	12:15	Midday Prayer
12:45	1:45	Segment 2	12:15	1:30	Liturgical/ Classroom
1:45	2:00	Break	1:30	1:45	Break
2:00	4:00	Segment 3	1:45	3:30	Liturgical/ Practicum
4:00	4:30	Break, Prepare for Mass	3:30	3:45	Midafternoon Prayer/Dismiss
4:30	5:30	Mass	Family Time
5:30	6:45	Dinner
6:45	7:00	Evening Prayer, Dismiss

Intellectual formation
During the Aspirancy and Candidacy phases, men will meet for intellectual formation one evening per week (Tuesday evenings at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Kokomo) for approximately forty-two weeks out of the year. Through the course of formation, the men take approximately 35 short collegiate-level theology courses offered by instructors with the McGrath Center with the University of Notre Dame.

Pastoral Field Internships
During the Aspirancy and Candidacy phases, men are assigned to pastoral field internships throughout the academic years (2-3 hours per week; 80-100 hours annually), affording the opportunity to gain pastoral experience in such areas as pastoral care of the sick or dying, prison ministry, work with the poor or homeless, nursing homes, marriage tribunal, parish catechesis, etc. Such field internships are supervised and focus on performing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. These internships not only assess the candidate’s willingness and ability to perform the type of ministry he may eventually be assigned, but they also allow him to grow in his ability to develop and demonstrate appropriate pastoral skills.

Weekly Time Commitment
The total weekly time commitment during formation is similar to what the man will experience once he is ordained – 10 to 12 hours per week. Participation in all existing ministries must cease during the formation process unless such ministry activity is clearly compatible with diaconal formation and proper family life balance. Exceptions must be approved by the Formation Director.

End of year concluding activity
Each year of formation is concluded with either a day of recollection or a weekend retreat conducted to facilitate the men’s and wives’ discernment regarding the next phase of formation.

Why must wives participate in formation?

Why must wives participate in formation?
Even though it is the man who enters formation to prepare for ordination as a deacon, his wife needs to be formed as well – but from a different perspective. She is key to both the discernment process (affirming the call) and later to support her husband’s vocation once he is ordained. She must grow in her own baptismal, confirmation and marital vocations.

As a man undertakes a lifelong sacred commitment to the Church in Holy Orders, this vocation will impact his marriage and his family. His wife needs to understand how and why this is so and how this impacts her own spiritual life and her service to the Church. Moreover, the ability of the couple to properly integrate marriage, family and the diaconal vocation is critical. A diaconal marriage requires an expression of marital love that extends itself beyond the couple to become a marriage of service in the Church.

The wife of a deacon assumes a public persona in the Church regardless of her future level of ministry involvement. The reality of being married to a deacon means that his wife must develop important skills and open herself to a new and even more mature spiritual and faith life. Wives, therefore, are formed in four dimensions (human, spiritual, pastoral and intellectual) in order to pursue their proper lay vocation and to allow them to foster a healthy marriage able to support a diaconal vocation. Wives are not required to participate in the men’s intellectual formation (academic courses). They will be required to participate in development of a spiritual life plan and exercises, preparation of written discernment reflections each month and wives will read basic articles and texts regarding the faith, skills development and the diaconate.

The candidate’s wife must independently consent to the formation process at all stages and eventually to her husband’s ordination. She must participate in all weekend formation sessions (10 Inquiry half-day sessions during Inquiry, Saturdays during the five years of Aspirancy and Candidacy) and be involved actively in developing her spiritual life plan and in discernment activities. In addition, the support of other family members is critical to the success of the candidate’s formation.

Here is a summary of what is required of wives:
- Mandatory attendance on monthly weekends
- Reading a book on biblical discernment methodology
- Monthly one-page discernment reflection
- Monthly one-page report on spiritual exercises
- Light reading each month in the form of articles on relevant topics for wives
- Studying the Adult Catechism of the Catholic Church over four years
- No academic papers, exams, or quizzes

I am considering the diaconate for retirement

I am considering the diaconate for retirement

God’s call to the diaconate vocation is typically recognized and discerned over an extended period of time. It is exemplified through an established prayer and sacramental life and through involvement in ministries of prayer, service and/or liturgy within the parish. The diaconate is not a ‘retirement gig’ but rather represents the realization and formalization of a servant leader to an ordained deacon.

Some men, as they begin anticipating their career retirement, inquire about the diaconate as a new outlet for their time. These men often come to realize that they have missed the time window for formation and ordination to the permanent diaconate by failing to properly discern the call to the diaconate earlier in their lives due to a preoccupation with their careers.

Hispanic Formation

Hispanic Formation

The diocese recognizes the needs and benefits of an ordained diaconate capable of ministering to the active Hispanic community within the diocese. Currently diaconate formation is offered only in English, requiring bilingual proficiency. The Office of the Permanent Diaconate is investigating the establishment of a Hispanic formation path that will be more inclusive to Hispanic men.

What are the costs of diaconal formation?

What are the costs of diaconal formation?

The annual cost for formation is estimated at $500-$750 which covers rite books, vestments, meals, annual retreats, and other program expenses. Financial assistance is available in cases of financial hardship.