Permanent Diaconate OfficePermanent Diaconate Office
Director of the Permanent Diaconate Office
This office is responsible for the catechesis, the recruitment, the selection, and the formation of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate. This office will assist pre-ordination preparations. Likewise this office will advise the Bishop on first assignments of new deacons and supervise them during their first two years of ministry. This office is also responsible for liaison between the bishop and the body of deacons, assisting deacons in resolving personnel/assignment problems, being attentive to the concerns of deacons' wives and families, overseeing the continuing education and retreat opportunities for deacons. This office will be responsible for all budgetary concerns regarding deacons and answers to the Bishop.
Rev. Jean Vogler, Director
219 NW Third St.
Evansville, IN 47708
812-422-5150
Advisory Board
The Permanent Diaconate Advisory Board advises the Permanent Diaconate Office. Members are the Diocesan Director of Vocations, the Director of the Permanent Diaconate Office, the Director of Clergy Personnel Board, Director of Adult Formation.
The Role and Function of the Deacon in the Diocese of Evansville
The Catholic Diocese of Evansville is committed to making provisions for the pastoral care and ministry of all in the Diocese. In providing for all to know Jesus Christ, to grow spiritually, to receive the abundant grace of the sacraments, to build up the Body of Christ, to ultimately enjoy the salvation won for them by God's Son, Jesus Christ, the Diocese constantly strives to recruit, train and support the necessary ministers to meet these goals.
It is in this context that the Diocese proposes to re-establish a program for permanent deacons. In no way is this intention to recruit, train and ordain permanent deacons meant to diminish its total commitment to recruit, train and ordain priests nor meant to shortcut the proper ministry of the laity, religious women and men, laywomen and laymen. Rather than to exclude anyone called to ministry the proposal wishes to include those called to permanent diaconate.
The Diocese intends to continue the basic roles of future permanent deacons similar to the roles of the present permanent deacons, with some new emphases. At the present the overwhelming majority of permanent deacons active in the Diocese exercise their diaconate in a parish, to be sure mostly in their home parish. This parochial orientation will continue to be the major role of permanent deacons.
However, with the adoption of the staffing plans developed by the seven deaneries and approved by the
Ordinary, the parish ministry of deacons will conform to the particularities of each deanery. This may include serving as part of a multi-parish team while under the authority of a priest-pastor. With a new emphasis on deacons ordained in service to the bishop, permanent deacons may be assigned to a parish not their own, but one close enough not to cause any hardship.
Likewise special efforts will be made to recruit ethnic deacons to serve the needs of the African-American
community and the Spanish-speaking communities. In addition, efforts will be made to have permanent deacons serving in multi-parish or regional ministries of service like hospital ministry, jail ministry, youth ministry, ministry to the handicapped and evangelization, plus chaplaincies to religious, social and fraternal groups.
Where appropriate deacons may serve the Bishop and the Diocese in other non-parochial ministries like
Master of Episcopal Ceremonies, Marriage Tribunal judge or defender of the bond, or administrative positions.
Likewise in the future, as in the present, the typical permanent deacon will have a profession or occupation and serve part-time and gratis. A permanent deacon, however, may be offered a full-time position by a parish or by the Diocese. ( Presently in the Diocese one deacon is serving as a parish pastoral associate full-time, and one deacon is serving as a Pastoral Life Coordinator.)
o Future deacons' role will be basically the same as present and past deacons
o Primary role will be assisting in parishes
o Deacon assignments will conform to the staffing plans of the deaneries
o Deacons are ordained in service to the Bishop; assignment may not be home parish
o Special efforts will be made to recruit ethnic deacons, especially African-American and Spanish-speaking
o Special efforts will be made to have deacons serve in multi-parish, regional and group specific ministries:
hospital, jail, youth, handicapped, plus chaplaincies to religious, social and fraternal organizations
o A deacon may be assigned in a Diocesan position: Master of Episcopal Ceremonies, Marriage Tribunal judge
or defender of the bond, or administrative position
o Typically deacons will have a profession or occupation and serve part-time and gratis
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
The Permanent Diaconate Office is responsible for overseeing and implementing the process of recruiting men to be considered for the permanent diaconate in the Diocese. This will be done in cooperation with the Diocesan Vocations Office, the Pastors, Pastoral Life Coordinators, and other appropriate persons.
The initial recruitment process may differ from later recruitment processes depending on the number of candidates surfaced in the initial process. The intensity of the recruitment may change according to need.
In the first step of the initial process of a re-established permanent deacon program all pastors will be contacted to determine the number of men already known to be interested in pursuing the permanent diaconate. These names will be added to those already on record at the Diocese as interested. A determination at this point will be made by the Bishop, in consultation with the Vocations Director and the Director of the Diaconate Office, to what degree to continue to recruit. Minimally a notice of information sessions for inquirers will be published in all parish bulletins and the diocesan newspaper.
Later processes for recruitment, after the first group of aspirants, are yet to be determined. The Diocese at this time does not intend to begin a "new class" or group each year but will wait to make this determination after it has some experience from the first group. The Diocese will maintain a record of the names of inquirers and discern when the next group would begin the aspirant's path. Therefore, future recruitment efforts over time will be flexible.
Minimal requirements for potential deacons, for recruitment purposes only, include the following:
1) 31 years old; 2) Practicing Catholic residing in the Diocese and registered in a parish of the Diocese;
3) Free of any ecclesiastical irregularities and impediments; 4) A record of ministerial service as a layman;
5) If married, wife's approval; if widowed or single, an awareness of permanent celibacy;
6) Abilities to complete the required formation program; 7) Pastor's approval.
THE SCREENING PROCEDURES
The Director of the Permanent Diaconate Office will review all applications to ascertain whether basic requirements have been met and will speak with the candidate's pastor.
If all basic requirements have been met the Director of the Permanent Diaconate Office will schedule an interview with the candidate (and wife). The screening process will include administering the Deacon Perceiver and a psychological evaluation administered by a local qualified counselor.
The following application documents will be required:
1. Church certificate of Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, issued within last six months.
2. Proof of age
3. Completed application form
4. Recent photograph of applicant and wife
5. Personal hand-written statement from the wife indicating her initial consent for his application
and entrance into program
6. Letters of recommendation
7. Recent medical certificate
8. Official transcript of past or present academic studies
9. A written report from rector of any seminary/house of formation previously attended
10. Proof of legal residency in Diocese
THE SELECTION PROCESS
The final selection of candidates is made by the Bishop. For the first group of aspirants an ad hoc COMMITTEE ON ADMISSIONS will consist of the Bishop, the Vicar General, the Director of Vocations, and the Director of the Permanent Diaconate Office. After the first group, the function of an on-going COMMITTEE ON ADMISSIONS AND SCRUTINIES will be undertaken by the ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Formation Programs for Permanent Deacons
Diocese of Evansville
1. Introduction to Spiritual Formation and Direction
2. Liturgy of the Hours I
3. Lectio Divina
4. Conversion and the RCIA Process
5. Scripture and Spirituality
6. Ministerial Identity I
7. Centering Prayer
8. Devotions
9. Liturgical Spirituality
10. Theology and Spirituality
11. Theological Reflection - Models and Practice
12. Ministerial Identity II
13. Family Life and the Ministry of the Deacon
14. The Spirituality of Church History
15. Ministry and Proclamation
16. Ministry and Service
17. Ethics and Spirituality
18. Ministerial Identity III
19. Models of Religious Education I
20. Models of Religious Education II
21. Adult Learning and Spirituality
22. RCIA - Ministry and Leadership
23. Liturgy of the Hours II
24. Spiritual Direction II
25. Theological Reflection II
26. The Sacrament of Reconciliation I
27. The Sacrament of Reconciliation II
28. Catholic Culture
29. Media and Religion
30. The Internet
31. Ethics of Ministry - The Permanent Deacon
32. Professional Skills - Meetings and Process
33. Professional Skills - Conflict Management
34. Professional Skills- Models of Leadership
35. Ministerial Identity IV
36. Professional Skills - Ecumenism I
37. Professional Skills - Ecumenism II
38. Church Etiquette
39. The Sacrament of Holy Orders I
40. The Sacrament of Holy Orders II
Diocese of Evansville
Proposed Schedule of Academic Courses
YEAR 1
Foundational Theology
Introduction to Scripture
Introduction to the Ministry of the Permanent Deacon
Synoptic Gospels
Christology
Introduction to Liturgy - Ministry of Lector
YEAR 2
Church History
Old Testament
Spirituality and Prayer
History of the Liturgy
Canon Law
Introduction to Moral Theology
YEAR 3
Ecclesiology
Introduction to Pastoral Care
Gospel of John
Sacramental Theology
Vatican II
Paul
YEAR 4
Introduction to Homiletics
Multi-Cultural Ministry
Ethical Questions
Eucharist
Homiletics II
Liturgy Practicum