National Directory for Formation

231 Pages·2005·2.27 MB·English

The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in
the United States“is an important point of reference for those Churches in which
the permanent diaconate is a living and active reality.” It contains the guidelines
and directives to be used when preparing or updating a diaconate program and formulat-
ingpolicies for the ministry and life of deacons.
This volume also includes Basic Standardsfor Readinessfor the formation of permanent
deacons in the United States from the Bishops’ Committee on the Diaconate and the
committee documentVisit of Consultation Teams to Diocesan Permanent Diaconate
Formation Programs.
Also Available
Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons/Directory for the Ministry
and Life of Permanent Deacons
The permanent diaconate, restored by the Second Vatican Council, has flourished in the
last few decades in many parts of the Church—with promising results. “The growth of
the permanent diaconate now gives rise to a need for certain unity of direction and
clarification of concepts, as well as for practical encouragement and more clearly defined
pastoral objectives.”
English: No. 5242, 144 pp. • Spanish: No. 5806, 148 pp.
Foundations for the Renewal of the Diaconate
Writings on the historical development of the diaconate.
No. 185-7, 276 pp.
Wives of Deacons
Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives(video)
Wives of Deacons: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Livesis an informing series of interviews
of six deacons’ wives. Engaging and diverse, these interviews address the challenges,
questions, joys, and concerns that face deacons’ wives during the course of their
formation and during their ministry.
No. 5-617, 17:24 minutes
To purchase these resources or to obtain a catalog of other USCCB titles, call toll-free
800-235-8722. In the Washington metropolitan area or from outside the United States, call
202-722-8716. Visit the bishops’ Internet site at www.usccb.org.Para pedidos en español, llame
al 800-235-8722 y presione 4 para hablar con un representante del servicio al cliente en español.
Publication No. 5-368
USCCB Publishing
Washington, D.C.
ISBN 1-57455-368-2
NATIONAL DIRECTORY
FOR THE FORMATION, MINISTRY,
AND LIFE OF PERMANENT DEACONS
IN THE UNITED STATES
NATIONAL DIRECTORY
FOR THE FORMATION, MINISTRY,
AND LIFE OF PERMANENT DEACONS
IN THE UNITED STATES
Including the Secondary Documents
BASIC STANDARDS FOR READINESS
and
VISITOF CONSULTATION TEAMS TO DIOCESAN
PERMANENTDIACONATE FORMATION PROGAMS
This National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in
the United Statesis intended to serve the entire Catholic Church in the United
States. Its principles, norms, and pastoral applications are directed specifically to
the Latin Rite. Nonetheless, it may be of assistance as a consistent reference for
all Churches sui iurisin the United States in the preparation of the adaptations
necessary to address the particular traditions, pastoral life, and requirements of the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS
The document National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent
Deacons in the United States was developed by the Bishops’ Committee on the
Diaconate of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
It was approved by the full body of United States Catholic bishops at its June 2003
General Meeting, received the subsequent recognitioof the Holy See, and has been
authorized for publication by the undersigned.
Msgr. William P. Fay
General Secretary, USCCB
Scripture texts used in this work are taken from the New American Bible,copyright ©
1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC
20017, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church,second edition, copyright
©2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana–United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
Washington, D.C. Used with permissions. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the General Directory for Catechesis,copyright © 1998, Libreria Editrice
Vaticana–United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, are used with
permission. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Rites of Ordination of a Bishop, of Priests,
and of Deacons(Second Typical Edition)©2000, 2002, International Committee on
English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Excerpts from the Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition,New English Translation.
Translation of Codex Iuris Cznonici prepared under the auspices of the Canon Law
Society of America, Washington, D.C. © 1998. Used with permission.
Cover art: Scala/Art Resource, NY
First Printing,February 2005
ISBN 1-57455-368-2
Copyright © 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
copyright holder.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and
Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States
INTRODUCTION
I. Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
II. Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
III. Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary . . . . . . . . . . xii
PREFACE
I. The Diaconate in the Second Vatican Council and
the Post-Conciliar Period: A Historical Overview . . . . 1
II. The Diaconate in the United States . . . . . . . . . . 2
III. Recent Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
IV. The Development of This National Directory . . . . . . 6
V. The Objective and Interpretation of This National Directory . 6
VI. Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
CHAPTER ONE
DOCTRINAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIACONATE
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
II. The Sacramental Nature of the Church . . . . . . . . 13
III. Ecclesial Communion and Mission . . . . . . . . . . 14
IV. The Reestablished Order of Deacons . . . . . . . . . 16
V. The Church’s Ministry of the Word: The Deacon as
Evangelizer and Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
VI. The Church’s Ministry of Liturgy: The Deacon as Sanctifier .
VII. The Church’s Ministry of Charity and Justice: The Deacon
as Witness and Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
VIII. An Intrinsic Unity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
IX. Concluding Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
CHAPTER TWO
THE MINISTRY AND LIFE OF DEACONS
I. The Relationships of the Deacon . . . . . . . . . . . 25
II. Diaconal Spirituality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
III. The Deacon in His State of Life . . . . . . . . . . . 33
IV. The Permanency of the Order of Deacons . . . . . . . 37
V. The Obligations and Rights of Deacons . . . . . . . . 37
VI. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Particular Law
Governing Deacons in the United States . . . . . . . . 40
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
CHAPTER THREE
DIMENSIONS IN THE FORMATION OF DEACONS
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
II. Dimensions in Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
III. Additional Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
IV. Assessment: Integrating the Four Dimensions
in Formation Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
CHAPTER FOUR
VOCATION, DISCERNMENT,AND SELECTION
I. Promotion and Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
II. The Mystery of Vocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
III. The Discernment of the Call . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
IV. Admission and Selection Procedures . . . . . . . . . 79
V. Admission into the Aspirant Path in Formation . . . . . 81
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
CHAPTER FIVE
ASPIRANT PATH IN DIACONAL FORMATION
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
II. The Dimensions of Formation in the Aspirant Path . . . . 86
III. Assessment for Nomination into the
Candidate Path in Formation . . . . . . . . . . . 89
IV. The Rite of Admission to Candidacy . . . . . . . . . 90
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
CHAPTER SIX
CANDIDATE PATH IN DIACONAL FORMATION
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
II. The Length of the Candidate Path in Formation . . . . . 95
III. Formation Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
IV. The Dimensions of Formation in the Candidate Path . . . 98
V. The Assessment of Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . 100
VI. Scrutinies for Installation into the Ministries of Lector and
Acolyte and Ordination to the Diaconate . . . . . . . 104
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
CHAPTER SEVEN
POST-ORDINATION PATH IN DIACONAL FORMATION
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
II. The Dimensions of Formation in the
Post-Ordination Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
III. Additional Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
IV. Diocesan Organization for Post-Ordination Path Formation . 119
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
CHAPTER EIGHT
ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE, AND PERSONNEL FOR
DIACONAL FORMATION
I. Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
II. Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
III. The Role of the Diocesan Bishop in Diaconate Formation . 126
IV. Recruitment and Preparation of Formation Personnel . . . 126
V. Aspirant/Candidate Formation Personnel . . . . . . . . 127
VI. Advisory Structures for Aspirant and Candidate Paths
of Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
VII. Post-Ordination Formation Personnel . . . . . . . . . 132
VIII. Post-Ordination Advisory Structures . . . . . . . . . 134
Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
APPENDIX I
SPECIFIC NORMATIVE ELEMENTS IN DIACONAL FORMATION
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
II. Specific Normative Elements to Include in a
Proposal for Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
APPENDIX II
THEUNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS’
COMMITTEE ON THE DIACONATE
I. Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
II. The Bishops’ Committee and
National Diaconate Associations . . . . . . . . . . 147
III. The Secretariat for the Diaconate . . . . . . . . . . 148
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
SECONDARY DOCUMENTS
BASIC STANDARDS FOR READINESS
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops . . . . . 153
VISIT OF CONSULTATION TEAMS TO DIOCESAN PERMANENT
DIACONATE FORMATION PROGAMS
Bishops’ Committee on the Diaconate . . . . . . . . 183