PROCESS OF DIACONATE FORMATION
VIII. Candidacy
Candidacy consists of a three-year period. At the end of the first year the continuing candidate will receive the Ministry of Lector, and at the end of the second year the continuing candidate receives the Ministry of Acolyte and after the third year the continuing candidate is called to the Sacred Order of Deacon. At each of these stages the candidate if he is married must have permission from his wife to proceed.
During candidacy the candidate is evaluated each semester in the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral dimensions. He will meet with the Admissions and Scrutinies Committee during the year and will have additional interviews with formators. There are also times when the wife of a candidate and the candidate will meet with the Admissions and Scrutinies Committee.
Spiritual formation continues through the Candidacy period of formation and is conducted every Sunday of formation weekends; the contents of spiritual formation are discussed below.
Another important element of formation is Pastoral Field Education, which consists of three components: ministry of the Word, ministry of liturgy and ministry of charity (including peace and justice). Pastoral Field Education is just not pastoral ministry but is an integration of the human, intellectual and spiritual dimensions into ministry. The aspirant and candidate are systematically introduced into pastoral experiences that are developed form with ministries from the Word, liturgy and charity. These ministries will be exercised from within the parish and in institutional environments. Pastoral Field Education is practicum for ministering to God’s people. At particular periods during candidacy institutional assignment for ministry will be given to Candidates that will require 4 to 6 hours a week of service beyond normal formation requirements.
Through the three-fold ministry of the deacon and in particular the ministry of charity the deacon is the Church’s central animator that unites society into relationship with Christ. Deacons promote a culture of life and ministerially address cultural issues such as the culture of death, economic, racial and immigration issues, and emphasize the social dimension of the Gospel to a world that attempts to privatize religion. The deacon must be familiar with the social teachings of the Church and in particular with the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Promotion of peace and justice is fundamental to diaconal ministry.
