Deacon Formation

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• Deacon Formation
• Inquiry and Discernment Program

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Deacon Formation Program
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Stages of Discernment Formation
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Tentative Timeline
Subject to change.
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Inquiry and Discernment Program

• Providing tools
• Burden on the Inquirer

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What is discernment?

• Listening to God
• A process or journey

God
Church
Applicant
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Who discerns?

• Church
• Bishop
• Director
• Formation Board
• Pastor
• Instructors/Supervisors
• Advisors
• Small group facilitators

• Aspirant / Candidate
• Wife
• Family
• Faith community
• Spiritual director

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Discernment and Application Process

• Tools for discernment
• Prayer and reflection
• Information about the diaconate
• Self discernment process
• Getting help

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Discernment
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What is a vocation?

• Finding a purpose for being in the world which
  is related to the purposes of God.
• Walter Brueggemann

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What is a vocation?

• Latin vocare (to call)
• Mystery
• Personal and communal (all aspects of life)
• Primary vocation from Baptism through
  discipleship
• Vocation to how you live (state of life)
• Vocation to what you do (ministry)

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Discernment

• Who is the God we are listening to in
  discernment?
• What is your image of God?

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Discernment

• What is Gods will for us?
• Following the blueprint / puppeteer
• The George Burns God
• The God of our Tradition

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Attitudes Necessary for Discernment
Discernment
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Openness

• I already made up my mind so dont confuse me
  with the facts!
• Pre-conceived outcomes based on
• self-will
• biases
• attachments

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Generosity

• Generosity or scarcity (loaves and fishes)
• Giver or taker

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Courage

• Giving up control
• Accepting the difficult, challenging and risky
• Leap of faith

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Interior freedom

• Type of decision makers
• All talk, no action
• Everything but
• Truly free

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Habit of Prayerful Reflection

• Can you give God 15 minutes a day?

• Examen
• Awareness of Gods presence
• Reflection on days experiences
• How Christ called us through these experiences
• Thankfulness
• Forgiveness
• Asking for help

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Getting Priorities Straight

• What are the top priorities in your life?

• Where does serving God fit in to your priorities?

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Ends and means

• Confusing ends and means
• Diaconate is a means

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Prayer / Reflection

• John 135-51

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Dimensions of Diaconate
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1 Timothy 38-13

• Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not
  deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for
  sordid gain, holding fast to the mystery of the
  faith with a clear conscience. Moreover, they
  should be tested first then, if there is nothing
  against them, let them serve as deacons. Women,
  similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers,
  but temperate and faithful in everything. Deacons
  may be married only once and must manage their
  children and their households well. Thus those
  who serve well as deacons gain good standing and
  much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

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Saint Polycarp

• Meek
• Not lovers of money
• Honest and proven
• Servants of God, not men
• Temperate in all things
• Compassionate
• Walking according to the truth of the Lord who
  was the servant of all

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Human Dimensions

• psychological maturity
• capacity for dialogue and communication
• sense of responsibility
• industriousness
• equilibrium
• prudence

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Evangelical Virtues

• Prayer and deep spiritual life
• a humble and strong sense of Church
• love for the Church and her mission
• spirit of poverty
• capacity for obedience and fraternal communion
• apostolic zeal for the mission
• call to radical service
• Charity/love towards all brothers and sisters

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Application Process
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Application Discernment Process

• Its a process...
• No guarantees, warranties or promises, implied or
  express, etc.
• Everything is subject to change and will change.

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Application Discernment Process

• Application Form (not until Dec., so dont even
  ask yet)
• Recommendations
• Criminal background check
• Physical and psychological exam
• Sacramental Verification
• Academic Transcripts

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Application Discernment Process (contd)

• Discernment Essay
• Autobiographies
• Ministry Resume
• Interview of applicant
• Interview of applicants wife
• Consent of wife

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Homework

• Prayer, prayer, prayer
• Reflect on whether you have the qualities and
  virtues of diaconate
• Prerequisite Check List