First prospective diaconate meeting in a few days

[Rasoleil]

This Thursday I will be attending the first of four information sessions to learn more about the formation process and what it means to serve as an ordained deacon. I had requested that my name be placed on the list whenever a Diaconate Formation period begins. I am 53. After five years, I am happy and humbled to have been informed that I at least am able to attend the information night. My parish priest and his deacons are absolutely supporting me on this step.
I absolutely understand that this is just an information meeting, which would be the very beginning of a five and a half year formation process. I am both anxious to even be in this very early process, and have the patience and tenacity to complete the program.
Any advice from deacons or priests or anyone on these boards who can give be advice would be invaluable to me ( Yes, I have done extensive research and talked to deacons and priests ), but any additional advice would be appreciated. And prayers, I could use prayers. Prayers to help me through this process.
I presently serve as a lector & EMHC, & bring communion to the home bound at my church and do the same at a care facility (nursing home) run by the Archdiocese. I try my best to serve others. Not that it matters, but I have a B.A. degree.

 

[otjm]

Listen a whole lot, talk little, and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.

God bless! We always need more deacons.

 

[Usige]

I am in the final semester of formation and beyond praying, I might suggest you read Understanding the Diaconate by Bishop McKnight.

He spoke to our deacons and candidates last year and I wish I had heard many of the things he talks about when I first entered formation. He has provided the most comprehensive overview of the historical and theological aspect of the Diaconate I’ve even read. It certainly helped me put all the pieces together.

 

[KD8TZC]

Like @Usige I also am in the final semester of formation for the permanent diaconate, but in a different diocese. I second the book he recommended. Another easy read is the Heart of the Diaconate.

The biggest thing you can do right now is pray and be present. It sounds like you are already doing that.

God bless you for inquiring and I will be praying for you and all those who are exploring various vocations.

 

[Rasoleil]

Thank you everyone for the advice, information, and sources. I’ve done much research myself, so I hope to be a little prepared for the first meeting. I have a simple question: Approximately how many hours a week or month a deacon devotes to his diaconate duties?

 

[KD8TZC]

Approximately how many hours a week or month a deacon devotes to his diaconate duties?

Hmmm… well, I’m just in formation but that is a really hard question to answer. I don’t know your situation and if you are married or have kids, but let me ask you a question and see if you can answer it. How many hours a week or month do you devote to your wife or children? You see, you are always a husband and always a dad. Well, it’s the same with always being a deacon. You don’t just turn it on or off. When you are at the workplace, you are still a deacon and you are ministering in the workplace. Same when you are grocery shopping.

I know you are looking for more of a quantitative answer, but unfortunately, I can’t give you one. Even though I am only in formation, if you were to ask me “how much time do you spend a week/month on formation activities” I don’t think I would be able to answer it as you are always being formed. Yes, I guess I could say I spend X hours a week on studying or doing this directly related to class, but this is not something you commit X hours to a week. It’s a vocation, just like being married, or being single, etc.

Sorry I can’t give you the answer you might have been looking for.

 

[Usige]

Approximately how many hours a week or month a deacon devotes to his diaconate duties?

This is going to vary between individual deacons and their personal situation. In my diocese every year the do a survey and last year the time was between 5 and 50 hours a week, with the average in the mid to high 20s.

As (name removed by moderator) says, many deacons spend much more time after they retire from secular employment. I on the other hand will likely be on the lower end of the spectrum for a while as I’m in my mid 40s and still have 5 kids at home. The head of our diaconal office is aware of these type of things and he, along with the personnel board, work with Pastors to try matching the deacons’ and parishes’needs.

One thing most active deacons have told me is that when they’ve gotten overwhelmed it was often their own doing. By nature, men that are called to the diiaconate have a desire to pitch in wherever they can. This is a good thing, but the onus is on the deacon to know what they can handle along with other life responsibilities.

 

[Charybdis]

I concur with all that has been said. Very good advice. I remember when I was in your shoes just about to begin formation now 10 years ago.

My advice? If you get selected, make sure to have fun along the journey. It is a lot of work. A lot of study. A lot of reading (I think I ruined my eyesight from all the reading I had to do!). A lot of writing papers. A lot, a lot, a lot.

And that’s why I say, have fun with your newfound classmates. It makes it all worthwhile. With all that work ahead, you need to also relax and enjoy the journey. Now that I look back, we only get together for our deacon’s retreat once a year and for a couple of other days of continuing ed in our diocese. I almost miss those times of comraderie.

Good luck and Gold Bless you for saying “yes” to the Lord!

 

[Rasoleil]

Thank ALL of your for the advice and recommendations. I will surely soak it all in. The first meeting is in 5 hours. The thing is, is that I do have a desire to do this, but at the same time I’m always feeling unworthy. Maybe that’s a good thing as that I should be humbled. I actually look forward (though I’ll probably have second, third, fourth, etc. thoughts about all the reading, studying, papers, etc. But I do read everyday ( though that is not a measure of what is to come or my abilities as a future prospect), and I do have a B.A. from a Catholic Jesuit University, so I hope that will keep me in good stead while I, or should I, be accepted into the program. It’s been 30 years since I earned my B.A. ( though I did take a few Graduate courses for fun in 1990-1992), it just feels like yesterday and am ready ( again, I will probably eat my words) to begging formal learning again, even papers. I loved writing papers ( really I did) whilst in College. Those Jesuits! And thanks again everyone Pray for me. I should keep quite tonight and not draw any attention to myself, right? I don’t know if they’ll make us get up and tell everyone about ourselves.

 

[paperwight]

If any of you can spare the time, could you have a look at the ‘Do married Catholic priests have to remain continent’ thread and give your opinion and experience as the discussion has moved on to Permanent Deacons? What are you being taught during formation about relations with a wife?

 

[Usige]

Perfect and perpetual continence has never been brought up (publically) during our formation.

Having had read Dr Peters argument many years ago (along with the protocol issued by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts) I had brought it up to our canon law professor outside of class. He kinda demurred and said Dr Peters has many good points and the best solution to resolve the explicit language of the law from current application would be to modify canon 277 to make it explicitly applicable only to unmarried clergy.

 

[acanonlawyer]

Perfect and perpetual continence has never been brought up (publically) during our formation.

When I taught an intro to canon law course for the (“permanent”) deacon candidates, I didn’t plan on bringing it up. I didn’t think it was something I wanted to discuss or even give my opinion on (if I recall correctly, I don’t think I gave an explicit opinion on it). However, of course, one of the guys just had to go and write his brief research paper on c. 277 and so the topic was brought up in the discussion period. It wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.

I (sometimes) wish I could teach that sort of course again.

Dan

 

[dconklin]

I should look into my diocese’s diaconate program. I am 52 and on staff at a large parish where I have been serving as the Asst DRE. I also have served as the emergency altar server at Mass and whenever I do people tell me I’ll make a great deacon. Since I did not go to school to be a religious educator, I completed my diocese’s Lay Ministry training which I think is the first step (first two years?) toward the diaconate.

One reason that I was previously unable/reluctant to begin the program was because as Asst DRE my weekends were already spoken for. Last week I accepted another position on the parish staff and my weekends should be freer.

 

[Usige]

I didn’t think it was something I wanted to discuss or even give my opinion on (if I recall correctly, I don’t think I gave an explicit opinion on it)

Sounds like you were in the same position as my professor. If I remember correctly there were 3 or 4 of us (about 15% of the class) that asked individually. The reoccurring reason none of us brought it up in class was that, for all practical purposes, it does not apply based on how it is handled right now in the US and none of us wanted to inadvertently start a needless panic in the class.