Catholic Deacons

Only God-incidences right SMOM?

In our diocese were are normally assigned to our home parish after being ordained due to the fact that the parish pays for our formation. After four years or more I believe that we are subject to being transferred to other parishes especially those in need of deacons. As with SMOM the bishop decides what ministry the deacon will be assigned to outside of the parish.

Note that the Church understands that the majority of permanent deacons have a secular job and a family and they always encourage us to put these first in our lives before our ministry.

In our diocese, every deacon gets two assignments, a parish and a ministry of charity/justice. It is completely at the discretion of the bishop where deacons are assigned and we were told early on not to "expect" to get our home parish. I especially had no such expectation because my home parish already had a deacon and four of us were in formation. In spite of that admonition, about 2/3 of my class was assigned to their home parishes. I was assigned to a neighboring parish for both my parish and ministry assignment. Many men were given ministries of charity/justice in hospitals, jails, the diocisan offices, nursing homes, etc. My ministry of charity/justice is to coordinate the marriage preparation program for my parish and to serve as the parish annulment advocate.

As an aside, while I was in formation, my wife's parents decided that their home had gotten to be too much for them, so they offered to sell it to us (the house my wife and her 5 siblings grew up in). We purchased that home which happens to be in the parish that I was assigned to. There are no coincidences.

Thanks SMOM and DCNBILL. I take from your messages that the formation process is academically rigorous. Something to keep in mind.

Can you tell me about the process for being assigned a posting after ordination? Is a deacon ever assigned to his home parish? How is the 'match' made between a deacon's interest/skills/time availability and their final assignment?

I learned over the weekend that the Archdiocese of Boston (where I am) extended until April the application period for the class starting this September. Previously I would have had to wait until September 2013 to start. Its going to be a busy and exciting spring!

Reagent,

In our diocese they only require a high school diploma, but one are tested to see if they are capable of graduate study work. If one has an undergraduate degree, one is expected to complete a masters degree in religious studies at our regional seminary, which is part of the formation program.

As for my education, I spent 6 years in high school and college in formation for the priesthood before meeting my wife. Got a undergraduate in Biology/chemistry and worked 23 years as a pharmaceutical chemist prior to Ordination. I have been ordained 5 years now and work full time at a parish.

reagent, I am pleased that you might find some assistance in my friend's situation.

As for education, our diocese has an "official policy" of a bachelor's degree. However, it was waved for at least 3 or 4 guys in my deacon class, who had some college classes, but had never completed their degrees. They were all well established in their fields and had very stable family situations. I have a J.D. as did one other of the men in my class (44 ordained). Two other men had Ph.Ds and at least 3 or 4 had Masters degrees. My own personal observation is that the men with degrees tended to struggle less with the course work.

Allow me though to bring up a little story I heard some time ago about what they call the West Point Grad who finished last in his class, with my own little variation.

What do you call the man who fininshes last in his formation classes?

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What for it . . .
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"Deacon"

SMOM, I also want to thank you for bringing that story to the table, that was very helpful. Now to reagent6, I think you will find most deacons have at least a 2 year degree in something. I think it shows your bishop that you can accomplish academic work that is required for the diaconate.
I think you will find degrees from soup to nuts. I have a degree in Environmental health and forestry. I presently work for the local health dept in Environmental Health. I get to inspect food service establishments and then four days a week I get to be a part of the Best Food Service man could ever imagine!

SMOM, thank you for relating your friend's story and for your prayers. Yes, God's time is not our time, a fact I try and remember almost every day. I hope that my wife will come to at least respect if not love the church. Even if not we at least are having some interesting conversations. Hopefully His word come out of my mouth at such times and not my own!

I am wondering about the professional and educational backgrounds of the deacons in this group. My diocese requires that deacon candidates have at least 2 years of college 'or equivalent'. Not sure what the reason is there. So who here has a college degree and what professions and industries do you (or did you) work in? Does higher education help? I have a college degree and work in marketing for a biotech company.

Reagent6, please know you are in my prayers. I have not personally experienced this issue, However one of my good friends who is presently in formation is married to a non-Catholiic who is not wild about the OHCAC. They have raised their two boys Catholic but she remains a member of the Church of Christ. My friend, like you, felt called to the diaconate many years ago, but refrained until recently,based on what I believe was a very wise perspective. He said God first called him to the vocation of marriage, and that was his first and primary vocation. He would never have done anything to endanger the sanctity of that vocation, no matter how strong the call to the diaconate may have been. Only within last 3 or 4 years had his oldest son begun speaking of possible call to the priesthood. His son spoke, as you might imagine, to his mom at length about it. Through those discussions, God loosened the soil of his wife's heart toward the OHCAC. She then took the initiiative in telling her husband that if he felt called to the diaconate, he should answer. He is now scheduled for ordination in June of 2013.

I pray that your wife is open to the promptings of God in the case of your calling, and that she hear him when he speaks to her. However, I personally think you need to wait for HIS time, and not force the issue. God's time is not our time.

Hello all.
Can someone help reagent6 with his situation? I really feel for you as it is imperative that your wife is on the same page for this ministry.
One thing I did was to let God tell me thru my wife that I was to be a deacon. I could not say a word to her about this. We prayed for just over a year. Let God let you know in some way that this is what He is calling you to.
Now is there someone out there in this situation? Sound in!!

Is it possible to have a sub forum so we could have some discussion?