Do I need a theology degree to become a deacon?

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No. Check with your deacon formation office and find out what the formation requirements are for your diocese.
 
I’m in year 4 of my Diocese’s 5 year program. We take our classes through St. Leo University. The guys that already had a 4 year degree will receive a Master’s Degree in Theology. The others, like me, will receive an undergrad in Religion or a certificate in Religion depending on how many college hours they had completed before applying to the Diaconate.

College degrees are not mandatory for application in my Diocese.
 
My Diocese pays for quite a bit of it. I spend one weekend a month in a hotel (2 hours from my house) where we have actual classes- the rest of the month is done with on-line classes. I personally have to pay $150 for tuition plus the cost of books for the semester. Each semester lasts 4 months. The rest of the tuition and the hotel costs are paid by the Diocese, although I pay for the travel expenses.

Benefits? Too many to count. 😉 I love formation and my brother candidates. School work is pretty tough, though. Much more than I figured it would be- especially with a job, family and young kids. I get up everyday around 0430 to study and write papers. I have one more academic class after this one, so the end is in sight. We then move on to the “practical” side of formation after academics.
 
What is the overlap of your training to the training of a diocesan priest?
 
Our Parish had a seminarian stay with our Pastor for a few months. We discussed a few things about that, and many of the classes were the same- Hebrew Scriptures/New Testament/Ethics, etc. They did take many more advanced Philosophy classes (we only had one that was an Intro to Philosophy) and took a foreign language, etc. I think he said his formation took over 8 years, but he came to our Diocese from Africa and I’m unsure as to what he took over there before continuing his seminary studies in America. In our Diaconate formation, we’re only allowed to take one course a semester and I know Priests take a full load.
 
Humm?

I was believing that no one can “apply” to be a deacon… That it was the Church through one of his minister who suggests a devout man that he might made a good deacon?
 
strange…
The men I know who have became deacons had followed the suggestion of their priests…
 
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Well sure —that often prompts someone to consider a vocation. But it’s not necessary.
 
Priests are celibate men who devote their entire life to priesthood.

Deacons are often not paid, have a job/or are retired and are usually married.
 
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The written application for my Diocese was 12 pages long- that’s not including the paper I had to write expressing why I felt I was called, the paper that my wife had to write saying she was supportive of my application and the 3 letters of reference from friends plus a letter of recommendation from my Priest. I then had to interview with a panel (2 hours away) and then had to take a psychological test with a doctor (2 hours away in the other direction) before being approved by the Bishop and his staff. 😉 Pretty strenuous process to say the least.
 
Yes, I know. But I’m not sure why that would mean a man who felt called to the diaconate couldn’t apply for it.
 
I can say that without a pastor’s recommendation, you are just wasting your time going through the process of the application. 😄
 
You’d find a similar truth if you were applying for the priesthood.
 
And that’s probably better.

False call and personal misplaced pride can be involved in any self application without any recommandation.
 
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