As the diocesan Office for the Permanent Diaconate prepares to begin a formation cohort for no more than 19 men on Aug. 27, it is already planning for the cohort that will begin in August 2023.
Men who might have a calling to ordained service to the Church and the bishop as a permanent deacon, and who are interested in discerning that calling while learning about the commitment it involves, are invited to contact their pastors.
This is the first step in the diaconate office’s process for establishing the next cohort of men to be formed for service as permanent deacons.
“We work closely with our pastors in order to identify qualified men who might have a calling to the diaconate — and who have the support of their wives in discerning that call,” Deacon John Kren, director of the Office of Permanent Diaconate, said.
After a brief meeting with a man who expresses interest, the pastor will present his name and contact information to the Office for the Permanent Diaconate by Sunday, July 31. That date is nearly two months earlier than last year.
“The reason we moved the date to July is that last year we announced a September deadline in August. We were told it impacted people’s calendars and that they could not make the meetings,” Deacon Kren explained. “This year, we’re giving everyone more time.”
Those whose names are presented by the pastors to the Diaconate Office will be invited to attend three meetings, one each in October, November and December, at the Pastoral Center.
“These meetings will address what the diaconate is, what are the responsibilities of the deacon and what is involved in the formation program,” Deacon Kren said. “They are not signing on for anything; this is just information.”
If the inquirer is married, his wife must attend all three meetings with him. The reason, according to Deacon Kren, is that the diocese wants the wife to be “fully informed” about the commitment to formation her husband would be making and the impact it would have upon her and their family.
Qualifications for formation to the permanent diaconate include, but are not limited to the following:
- A Roman Catholic for a minimum of five years at time of application;
- Registered parishioner within the Diocese of Richmond for five years at the time of application, and active in the parish community;
- Between the ages of 30 and 59 at the time of application;
- Committed to and living out values of justice, charity and service;
- Demonstrates grateful fidelity to all that the Church teaches, openness to formation and has demonstrated leadership.
Deacon Kren’s suggestion to someone sensing an ordained vocation: “If you feel the call, talk to your pastor.”
Editor’s note: Further information about the permanent diaconate can be found here.
‘Snapshot’ of diaconate in US
WASHINGTON (CNS) — In the Catholic Church, permanent deacons “are entrusted with the unique responsibility of bringing Christ to every corner of society,” said the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. They carry out their ministry “in imitation of Christ the servant and impelled by the spirit of charity,” said Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey.
He made the remarks on the unique role deacons have in the Catholic Church in a statement issued June 2 with the results of an annual survey that provides a portrait of the permanent diaconate in the U.S.
“By virtue of their ordination, deacons witness to Christ in the workplace, within their families and among the members of their community, especially the poor,” Bishop Checchio said. “The Church is grateful to all permanent deacons who extend Christ’s mercy and healing to all those in need.”
Conducted for the USCCB by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University since 2005, the study provides a detailed snapshot of the state of the permanent diaconate in the United States.
Findings include the percentage of active vs. nonactive deacons; the archdioceses/dioceses and eparchies with the largest number of permanent deacons; sociocultural demographics; and ministerial involvement. The report estimated there were as many as 20,888 permanent deacons in the United States in 2021-2022.
The full study can be found online at https://bit.ly/3mhEyqP.