Permanent Diaconate
What is the Permanent Diaconate?
Permanent Deacons are ordained ministers within the Catholic Church focused on service. They are most often are married, but can be single, and serve in their local communities. They proclaim the Gospel, preach homilies and assist their bishop and priests. They can baptize, witness marriages, and preside over funerals.
History
The Permanent Diaconate was apart of the Catholic Church right after it’s founding when the disciples made seven men into Permanent Deacons.
(Acts 6:1-6)
Around the middle ages, ordaining priestly candidates to the transitional diaconate became popular, and permanent deacons faded away to history.
The Permanent Diaconate was reinstated within the Catholic Church by Pope Paul VI in 1967 to do what they did in the beginning; to be servants to the people of Christ.
Their Role Today
Permanent Deacons or configured to Christ as servant. They serve their Bishop, Priests, and their communities by proclaiming the Gospel, and administering the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage. They can be married, or single and they live in the secular world with a normal job.
Often they lead charitable activities to serve the needy and poor of their communities.
Requirements
There are a few requirements of individuals to become Permanent Deacons in the Catholic Church.
They must:
- Be Catholic and in good standing
- Be Male
- At least 35 years of age
What is the process of becoming a Permanent Deacon?
The formation process of becoming a Permanent Deacon spans four to six years (depending on the diocese), and is typically conducted either in-house by the Diocese, or by a Catholic Seminary.
The process starts with the inquiry stage, followed by the discernment stage, then the candidacy stage, finishing with ordination to the Permanent Diaconate. (The length of the stages depend on the diocese)
They have four pillars of formation that they go through; Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Pastoral.
Do you feel called to the Permanent Diaconate?
If you feel called to be a permanent deacon, they key is taking action steps in your discernment to see if you are called or not. A great first step is to meet with your local pastor to learn more. You can also contact your diocese directly to see if they have any information they can share with you or if they have any inquiry events you can attend. Often diocese have events where people can come and learn more about the permanent diaconate.
Click the button below to lookup your diocese website to find their Diaconate Office Page to inquire.