This is an important historical moment in the life of the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of San Angelo. We have fifteen candidates in formation for ordination on June 23, 2018, and we are preparing to form a new group that will start classes in September of 2018. Now is the time for us to call forward those men whom God might be calling to enter formation for our next deacon class – the class of 2022.

Those who are interested in being considered to join this next class should speak first with their pastor as soon as possible. The inquiry period consists of monthly meetings to assist in discernment. It began in September 2017 and will continue until May 2018. Applications will be processed beginning in May 2018.

I am very grateful for our permanent deacons and their wives. My own father is a deacon, and I have served alongside wonderful deacons in every place where I have been assigned as a priest. As the bishop of this diocese, I see firsthand the tremendous good that is done by our deacons.

There are seventy-two deacons in the Diocese of San Angelo, sixty-two of whom are in active ministry in the diocese. Twentytwo of our active deacons are age seventy or older. While some parishes have two or more deacons, we actually have twenty-one parishes and missions with no assigned deacon.

In the Catholic Church, deacons are entrusted with a threefold ministry of the liturgy, of the word, and of charity. A man becomes a deacon by receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders from the local bishop. He is not a layperson or a priest, but he is an ordained cleric. The permanent deacon is distinct from a transitional deacon in that a transitional deacon is a seminarian preparing for the priesthood. The permanent diaconate is a ministry in its own right.

Deacons function in a variety of ministries. They can preside at baptisms, quinceañeras, weddings, and funerals without the Mass. They can lead Communion services and Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest. They can bless houses. They help prepare couples for marriage. Some are field advocates for the marriage tribunal, assisting those who are seeking a declaration of nullity. Among other things, they are involved in evangelization, catechesis, sacramental preparation, RCIA, youth and young adult ministry, adult faith formation, prison ministry, works of charity, pro-life ministry, and visitation of the sick.

Diaconal ministry is understood to be volunteer service, and it typically involves about ten to fifteen hours per week. Permanent deacons must be gainfully employed in their own profession in order to take care of their own financial needs. In a few rare cases, deacons may have full-time employment in a parish or the diocese.

A deacon is assigned to the ministry and parish where the need is most critical. While most deacons serve at the parish level, there are some who also function in other ministries outside the parish as designated by the bishop. A deacon’s assignment can be changed at any time according to the changing needs of the Church. He will not always be assigned to his home parish.

Deacon formation is a four-year process after an applicant has been accepted. It entails an average of sixty hours per month. The monthly deacon formation weekends will take place from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. Candidates will also be expected to do homework, write papers, take tests, participate in study groups, and carry out some ministry in the parish while maintaining a proper balance with family and job.

While the formation program in the Diocese of San Angelo will be conducted primarily in English, it will seek to accommodate those who are Spanishdominant. A deacon must have at least a working knowledge of English because he will need to be able to minister and preach in English. The two predominant languages in the Diocese of San Angelo are English and Spanish, so candidates will be encouraged to learn to converse in both of these languages.

Candidates must be at least thirtyone years of age and not more than sixty years of age at the time of acceptance into the deacon formation program.

A candidate may be single or married. If he is married, he must be in a stable sacramental marriage with a sound family life, and he cannot enter formation without the informed consent of his wife. Once a man is ordained, he cannot enter into a new marriage.

Requirements for admission into the formation program include being in good health, having the full support of one’s pastor, passing a criminal background check, undergoing psychological evaluation, being a documented resident or citizen of the United States, and being economically stable and selfsufficient.

A candidate must be in full communion with the Church. If he is a convert to Catholicism, at least five years must have elapsed since he was received into full communion in the Catholic Church prior to acceptance into the formation program.

The four-year program of deacon formation is an ongoing process of discernment on the part of the candidate as well as the Church. Not all who begin formation will necessarily be ordained. Through reflection, prayer, assessment, and dialogue, the process helps the bishop to discern whether the candidate is called to ordained ministry or to the lay apostolate. Please pray for those who are considering this call.

Anyone who would like more information about the ministry of permanent deacons or the upcoming formation class should contact Deacon Freddy Medina, Director of the Office of Diaconal Ministry, at 325-651-7500 or at [email protected].