Deaconate question

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Paed

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For a very long time I have felt the call to the deaconate.

I am just wondering. Ihave a deacon in my church who spent the day with me about a year ago because he felt that I may make a good candidate for te deaconate.

What do I do now. I am fairly certain that my priest is disinterested having yet another deacon at his parish. (there is already two…400 family parish. of course if I were ever to become a deacon I likely would be sent wherever the bishop wanted me.

I belong to a good parish and my priest is actually a good priest. I know my priest quite well but he does have sort of an elitist view on things. If I were a doctor or a lawyer etc. he would leap at the prospect of me starting formation. Since that is not the case I feel slighted in a sense

Does one have to have their parish priest recommend them for the deaconate? Can i go straight to the bishop? Can my deacon friend help me? He is the deaconate dean for my diocese.
 
in this diocese the diaconate formation has just been revived after a lapse of 10 years, on a restructure, more orthodox basis. Deacon candidates will be recommded by their pastors, but will not be ordained to serve their home parish, but assigned where they are needed. Naturally their family circumstances will be taken into account.

Call the director of vocations or whoever is in charge of the diaconate program and find out how to proceed. Probably your pastor just has to sign a formal application and provide a reference, I doubt he has the ability to “blackball” you.

There is some resistance to the new diaconate program here, as there is to the new lay ministry training institute, because the bishop has taken care to have the people running it and teaching be orthodox, well-prepared and adhere to Church teaching and practice. This roils a lot of people who had been used to using lay ministry as a vehicle to push personal agendas.
 
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Paed:
What do I do now. I am fairly certain that my priest is disinterested having yet another deacon at his parish. (there is already two…400 family parish. of course if I were ever to become a deacon I likely would be sent wherever the bishop wanted me.
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That is true for every deacon on the planet.

It is a calling for service, and, like any else in Holy Orders, one goes where their superiors direct.

FYI, I’m in formation to the Diaconate myself. I can make my preferences know to Cardinal Maida, but it’s not really about what I personally want, it’s about serving the needs of the Church.
 
Congratulations on hearing God’s call to you! The deacon’s role is that of service. You have a voice in saying where you will be assigned, but your bishop will probably direct you to a parish that needs a deacon. My husband is not assigned to our home parish, but he goes back to help out there whenever he is needed. Are you married? Does your wife support your decision? Do you have little kids? There are several threads on the permanent diaconate here. If you look near the top of the page, click the search button & type in any of these terms: permanent diaconate, diaconate, permanent deacon or deacon, you will get a lot of hits.

I’ll keep you in my prayers! :blessyou:
 
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Paed:
Does one have to have their parish priest recommend them for the deaconate? Can i go straight to the bishop? Can my deacon friend help me? He is the deaconate dean for my diocese.
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Generally speaking, a bishop is going to want to see the support of your pastor in the process. This is also a bit different from a ‘recommendation’

Your pastor might very well say “Yes, he’s make a good Deacon. I have 2 already, my parish does not need another, but another parish could certainly benefit from his services”

That is a perfectly reasonable thing for your priest to say.

So meet with your Vocations Director and he will let you know what requirments the Bishop has laid out for the accepance into the program.
 
I am at the stage prior to Aspiration, taking the required Archdiocese courses. My opinion is that you should continue to pray in your discernment, and if it’s right, do it! The reality is, in our Archdiocese it’s a 5 year process from ground zero, so a lot can happen in 5 years that makes what you perceive your situation to be at the parish potentially much different!

Plus, the Church really needs deacons, as there are less priests. Our pastor told me it could be a very fluid next 10-20 years, his opinion is that the church will consider using Deacons for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick one day, for example. So please don’t assume you know what your Church will be like when/if you become a Deacon!

Good luck and God bless you!
 
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awalt:
I am at the stage prior to Aspiration, taking the required Archdiocese courses. My opinion is that you should continue to pray in your discernment, and if it’s right, do it! The reality is, in our Archdiocese it’s a 5 year process from ground zero, so a lot can happen in 5 years that makes what you perceive your situation to be at the parish potentially much different!

Plus, the Church really needs deacons, as there are less priests. Our pastor told me it could be a very fluid next 10-20 years, his opinion is that the church will consider using Deacons for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick one day, for example. So please don’t assume you know what your Church will be like when/if you become a Deacon!

Good luck and God bless you!
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Awalt, by any chance are you in Detroit?
 
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awalt:
I, his opinion is that the church will consider using Deacons for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick one day,
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Already discussed by the Vatican and decided against.

Trent is pretty clear that this Sacrament requires Sacerdotal Orders
For it is there also shown, that the proper ministers of this sacrament are the Presbyters of the Church; by which name are to be understood, in that place, not the elders by age, or the foremost in dignity amongst the people, but, either bishops, or priests by bishops rightly ordained by the imposition of the hands of the priesthood.
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When this Sacrament is discussed in James 5:14, it is clearly the Presbyters of the Church that should annoint.

This is more than a disclipinary element of the Sacrament, but of it’s character and institution.
 
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Brendan:
This is more than a disclipinary element of the Sacrament, but of it’s character and institution.
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Also, for those who will learn as they go along (as I did), the healing sacraments all include absolution, which is only offered by a priest.

Besides, most deacons are so busy, they really don’t need the extra responsibility. Deacons still have to support themselves. Can’t just leave your job to annoint someone in danger of dying.

Brendan, you are going to be such a superb deacon! 👍
 
If you feel you have been called, then bring that call to the Church and she will let you know if it is true. Don’t worry about the number of Deacons in your parish, if God calls then He has a plan. Bad formation committees, crowded parishes, personal troubles are all illussions if God wills it.

God Bless
 
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