Above all else, the diaconate is a calling from God. It is not a ministry that one enters into for a period of time, but a permanent vocation. It requires careful and prayerful discernment on the part of the applicant considering the diaconate, as well as on the part of the Church. It requires sacrifice on the part of the deacon and his family. Hence, it can only be entered into with the support of the family. Both the formation period and the ministry itself require time. And, it requires a Vow from the candidate not to marry again if already married, should his wife die before he does. Of course, a married deacon continues in the married state until the death of his wife.
The first and foremost priority for a deacon, as for everyone, is to love and to serve God above all else. Since most deacons are already married prior to entering formation, a healthy and stable marriage is essential. Marriage is our primary vocation in life and falls in line immediately behind our duties toward God. If you have children, they are part of your commitment to marriage. In order to fulfill your family obligations and to maintain economic security, your secular employment is your third priority. Finally, with those other priorities getting proper attention, your ministry as a deacon becomes a fourth priority. Juggling those priorities takes some careful attention on the part of the deacon, and the support and understanding of your wife and other family members. The deacon serves at the direction of the bishop. He may be assigned to his existing parish or to a nearby parish. Assignments are made in order to meet the needs of the Church.
The deacon is called to minister in three specific areas:
The Diaconate Formation Program of the Diocese of Burlington is designed to comply with the Standards set forth in the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Applicants for admission to the Diaconate Formation must:
The total time for the program is five (5) years, of which the first two (2) years are spent in Lay Ministry Formation. The remaining three (3) years of the Diaconate Formation program involve four dimensions.
In addition to the more structured formation dimensions, the applicant must continue to discern the presence of a genuine call from the Lord to continue in formation. The Church needs to continue to discern that call as well. For this reason, you will need to meet with a member of the Diaconate Board annually. The Director of the Permanent Diaconate and the members of the Diaconate Board are available to help you during your formation. In addition, a mentor couple will be chosen from within the Diaconate Community to provide on-going support to both the deacon aspirant and his wife during the formation period.