PROCESS OF DIACONATE FORMATION
II. Overview of Formation
Formation’s focus is to provide the man in formation a course of studies (human, academic, spiritual and ministerial) that will afford him the opportunity to make orderly and gradual progress towards a full understanding and acceptance of (1) the faith and traditions of the Church, (2) the identity of the deacon as the icon of Christ the Servant, in service to the Archbishop, and (3) the duties of the deacon that are used in service to the:
Archdiocese of Denver’s Diaconate Office
1300 S. Steele St.
Denver, CO 80210
(303) 715-3198
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Archbishop. Formation begins with a six-month inquiry period, and followed by a four-year course of studies. Classes are conducted two weekends a month during the academic year for a total of 18 weekends per year. Each formation day is approximately eight hours long or 16 class hours per weekend, which results in 288 contact hours per year. Additionally, there is pastoral field practicum engaged in over the course of his formation. This pastoral filed practicum will take about three to four hours a week, with additional four to six hours of homework for the academics. Prayer is the central core of the deacon, and the man in formation begins to develop the discipline of praying about an hour a day. His prayer life focuses on the Liturgy of Hours, Rosary, and lectio divina. At the center of a deacon’s life is Christ, in particular the Eucharist. The Church has established the minimum age at the time of ordination to the diaconate to be 35 years of age.
