DIACONATE FORMATION PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION
Diaconate – What does it mean?
Diaconate is a ministry deeply rooted in Scriptural accounts of the early church. The word “deacon” comes from the Greek work “diakonia,” which means “to serve.” It is grounded in one of the basic messages of the Gospel that says, “unless you serve others, you cannot enter the Kingdom.” As Christianity grew, it was necessary to appoint men as deacons to work alongside the apostles. In Acts 6:1-6, apostles laid their hands on deacons, wise men full of the Holy Spirit, to assist them in caring for the needs of people.
On January 15, 1983, Bishop Joseph Maguire ordained 19 men as the first Deacons to administer and serve the spiritual needs of the people throughout the Diocese of Springfield.
Currently, there are 76 active Deacons serving in our diocese. In addition,
- Our Class of 2013, consisting of 5 candidates, achieved Candidacy on October 29, 2011
- The Class of 2015, consisting of 9 aspirants, began their Diaconate Journey in August of 2011.
In March, 1998, two significant documents were issued by the Vatican Congregation for Clergy and Education-The Basic Norms for the Formation of the Permanent Diaconate and The Directory for Ministry and Life of the Permanent Diaconate. Through these documents the Church is able to ensure a certain stability of approach which takes account of legitimate plurality and in turn guarantees that indispensable unity necessary for the success of the ministry of the Diaconate, which has been fruitful and which will continue to make important contributions to our Church.
