Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ!
We welcome your interest in the Permanent Diaconate in our Diocese and we hope you find this information helpful. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
What is the Permanent Diaconate?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1570-1571 states:
“Deacons share in Christ's mission and grace in a special way. The sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint (“character”) which cannot be removed and which configures them to Christ, who made himself the “deacon” or servant of all. Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Latin Church has restored the diaconate “as a proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy,” while the Churches of the East had always maintained it. This permanent diaconate, which can be conferred on married men, constitutes an important enrichment for the Church's mission. Indeed it is appropriate and useful that men who carry out a truly diaconal ministry in the Church, whether in its liturgical and pastoral life or whether in its social and charitable works, should “be strengthened by the imposition of hands which has come down from the apostles. They would be more closely bound to the altar and their ministry would be made more fruitful through the sacramental grace of the diaconate”
Who is a Deacon?
To understand who is a deacon, we need to look at the three areas of service they are called to:
● Ministry of the Word,
● Ministry of the Liturgy,
● Ministry of Charity.
Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, deacons can preach, baptize, assist at the Mass, and witness marriages. However, deacons do so much more. Deacons are ordained to not only attend to the religious needs of people; they are specially ordained to attend to their human needs. Living out and promoting the Church’s teachings on social justice is a key part of being a deacon.
Above all, a permanent deacon is a servant. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, deacons proclaim the Gospel message not just at church, but in the community as well. A deacon shows by word and example the love of neighbor as oneself through humble service in the image of Christ the Servant.
Diaconate Formation Program
Diaconate formation in the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama follows the guidance of the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States. Formation takes place over a six year period divided into Inquiry, Aspirancy, and Candidacy.
The Inquiry program is a one year period that occurs before a man can formally apply to the Permanent Diaconate Formation program. The goals are to help the man and spouse, if married, learn more about the diaconate and the role of deacons in the Church. Understanding the overall formation process and expectations is another goal. The Inquiry program is an opportunity to discern if God is calling you to apply for Aspirancy. For married couples, this is a time to determine if the man has the full support of his wife and family. During the Inquiry phase, a man is encouraged to discuss with his pastor his desire to pursue diaconal formation.
After a formal application is submitted and with the approval of the bishop, the Inquirer advances to the Aspirancy period that lasts two years. The aspirant phase continues the ongoing discernment with emphasis on spiritual readiness, intellectual capacity, and pastoral abilities. The aspirant path provides the wife of a married aspirant time and information to help her ascertain her compatibility with her husband’s diaconal vocation and eventual ministry. The intellectual formation at the aspirant level teaches deeper knowledge of the faith and church tradition, as well as theology and spirituality. Prayer and reflection provide spiritual growth and time for discernment in how God is calling you. The Aspirancy concludes with a formal assessment conducted by the admission committee.
With the approval of the bishop, the aspirant advances to the Candidacy period that lasts three years. During candidacy, candidates continue their development in the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions. There is a significant increase in academic activities during Candidacy. Candidates will engage in exercises and participate in various non liturgical ministries to expand their pastoral experiences. Candidacy is also a time for ongoing discernment by the candidate, spouse, if married, and the Church. As they advance through candidacy, candidates will be instituted as Lectors and Acolytes in preparation for their eventual ordination if approved by their formation team and bishop.
Following ordination, deacons continue their development by participating in an annual retreat as well as formal and self-guided continuing education.
For More Information
If you want to learn more about the Permanent Diaconate, please contact either:
Deacon Christopher Rosko, MD, MBA
Director, Office of the Permanent Diaconate
Deacon Jeff Montgomery
Director of Formation, Permanent Diaconate Program