A calling to the Diaconate?

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antihippy79

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Hello everyone. I am exploring the potential of a calling to the diaconate and have a couple questions. Has anyone here gone through the process? What are the interviews like with myself and my spouse? I am curious as to what the discussion is like. Thank you!
 
antihippy79 said:
Hello everyone. I am exploring the potential of a calling to the diaconate and have a couple questions. Has anyone here gone through the process? What are the interviews like with myself and my spouse? I am curious as to what the discussion is like. Thank you!
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I’m at the very start of this myself and I am applying to the Aspirancy currently. My wife and I did meet with the director of the program last year, and although there will be many more meetings, both as a couple and individually, the initial meeting we had was more of us talking about why I feel I am being called, a general review of our spiritual history, what we both are involved with in our church and community, and some other things. It was about an hour long.

The PDF that the other poster listed is a must read… .in fact, I am told that if I do make it into aspirancy, my copy will quickly become worn out from frequent reference.

I will pray for you.

Pax tecum,
 
There are a couple of us on CAF going through the early part of the process right now. As (name removed by moderator) stated it is different between dioceses and also likely different between diaconal classes. In talking to deacons formed 15 years ago the interview and formation process is much more rigorous now than it might have been in the past.

My wife and I were supposed to have an entrance interview last week, but had to reschedule because of surgery on one of my boy’s knees. That being said I have gone through the psych evaluation, entrance questionnaire and personal biography. All of those ask questions about:
  • how you practice your faith (prayer life and ministerial involvement)
  • any sexual issues (adultery, pornography, masturbation, contraception, etc)
  • how you handle conflict
  • adherence to Catholic teaching
  • the candidate’s relationship to his wife, children, the laity and other clerics
  • etc
They have also asked about academic aptitude since my diocesan program includes a number of graduate level classes on theology, eschatology, canon law, homiletics, etc.

The little they have told us about the interview is much of the same. We will meet for a short time as a couple and then split to talk about things specific to me as opposed to my wife. In talking to some others that went through it recently they have said that their wife was asked about how she felt about their husband entering formation, how they see themselves working with his ministry (if at all), how it might impact their family life, etc. The candidates were asked question along the line of those bulletted above.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I suppose I am most interested in the interview of my wife as she is quite shy about personal matters and matters of faith. I understand that she will be involved in whatever ministry I end up being called to, but hopefully she doesn’t feel too intruded upon.

The background questions seem reasonable, but my first instinct is that if they ask me about past sins long since confessed, do I really want to relive them again in a quasi-confession? I’m not really sure about that yet. It’s not that I’m embarrassed, it’s that I’ve moved on. Know what I mean?

Thanks again.
 
Praying for your discernment.

From what my wife told me the interview with your wife will mostly concern the stability of your marriage, any concerns that she has concerning your entering the program and her willingness to let you enter the program. Our bishop told our wives that at any point in the process, even up to the day of ordination, they could tell him that they did not want us ordained and he would not ordain us. Happy wife was my motto for 5 years. 😃
 
KD8TZC said:
Happy Wife should be your motto for every day that you are married, not just while you a re in formation.
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That was meant to be amusing, I guess I missed. I think that my wife of 38 years would agree that I make every effort to keep her happy.👍
 
DCNBILL said:
That was meant to be amusing, I guess I missed. I think that my wife of 38 years would agree that I make every effort to keep her happy.👍
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I understand Bill… I tend to call those things out as I had a fellow who is Catholic that I know if he wanted to attend a retreat with me recently. His reply was he “felt funny going to those with all the singing, worshiping and other things”. My thought was, wow, you are really going to feel out of place in Heaven then I guess when you put it that way. 🙂
 
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