Archdiocese of Los Angeles - Diaconate Formation Program
See also: Aspirancy Homepage | Year 2 Sessions | Year 2 Spiritual Exercises | Year 2 Bibliography
Permanent Deacons are ordained ministers in the Roman Catholic Church who are trained to carry out three main types of ecclesial ministry: service at the altar (liturgy and sacraments), service of the word (preaching and teaching), and service of the world (charity and mercy).
The formation of permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is a process that normally takes five years: two years of “Aspirancy” followed by three years of “Candidacy.”
The formation process for permanent deacons (just as for priests) includes four main aspects: human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, and pastoral formation.
The Aspirancy period of Diaconate Formation (DF) is primarily a time to discern the capability and readiness of an aspirant (and his wife, if married) to be selected for acceptance as a candidate for diaconal ordination. Admission to Aspirancy begins a propaedeutic period in which aspirants are introduced to a deeper knowledge of scripture, theology, spirituality, and the ministry of deacons. Aspirants will be led to a more attentive discernment of their call to diaconal ministry.
While some aspects of aspirant formation may be linked with other lay formation programs and offices of the archdiocese, aspirant formation is a distinctive program that provides a thorough discernment of a call or vocation to diaconal ministry. During this period the aspirant is not yet a “candidate” for Holy Orders, but is engaged in a process of careful and prayerful discernment.
Throughout the year, formation sessions are generally held every other Saturday, with only a few weekend-long or Sunday programs (see the detailed “Schedule” below). Saturday sessions will include a bilingual Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer (together with the Year 1 Aspirant couples).
Using a combination of presentations, prayer experiences, assigned readings and written responses, and other individual and group activities, both Aspirancy years focus on deepening prayer and spirituality. Resources used include books, articles, online texts, and cell phone apps, as listed on the “Bibliography” and the “Schedule.” Some items are available at no cost; some will be provided by the DF office; others are to be purchased by the individual aspirants.
The second year of Aspirancy continues the human, intellectual, and pastoral formation begun in the first year, but with greater emphasis on spiritual formation: growing as disciples of Jesus by studying the Gospels and by doing the “Ignatian Spiritual Exercises,” a nine-month prayer experience ideal for discerning important life decisions, such as the admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. More details about these Spiritual Exercises are explained in a separate document.
Punctual attendance is mandatory at all formation sessions, since each meeting is an integral and important part of the formation process for both the candidates and their spouses.
Foreseeable absences must be discussed with the Facilitators ahead of time to establish the acceptable reasons (e.g., family weddings or funerals) for missing all or part of any session.
Unforeseeable absences (e.g., serious illnesses, traffic accidents) must also be reported as soon as possible. In either case, please write a short notice mentioning the date and the reasons for the absence, which will be put in your file. If you miss a day (or a half-day) for any reason, you are still responsible for submitting any assignments to your Facilitators as soon as possible.
Laptop computers, tablets, and cellphones are not to be used during class, except when you are giving a presentation or when explicitly permitted or requested by an instructor. Recordings of sessions and discussions are not permitted to protect the confidentiality of our conversations.
Several reading assignments are listed on the “Schedule” for each Saturday session. These should be done in advance of each session, so you will better understand the presentations and be able to participate fully in the discussions. You will also be asked to write a “Response Paper” in advance of each session, as well as some other written “homework” assignments.
All written assignments must be done on a computer or word processor and submitted by email (or uploaded to a designated Dropbox) no later than 8:00 am the day it is due, and a hard copy must also be brought to class for discussions. Some documents that require personal signatures must be submitted in printed and original form. Everyone’s work must be free of plagiarism or other dishonest academic practices. All work is to be done completely by the individual (or group) whose name(s) appear(s) on the paper. No one may do the work of another or allow another to copy from his or her work. Academic dishonesty may be grounds for dismissal from the program.
Each meeting will include assigned readings, all of which must be done before class. Some of the readings will also require a one-page written response, as mentioned in the “Schedule.”
Each “Response Paper” must be single-spaced, using 12-point font and 1” margins, and written in the first-person singular (“I”, not “we” or “they”). Unless other instructions are given for certain written assignments, most Response Papers will include the following three elements:
What did I learn? How was my mind engaged? (Intellectual Component)
Describe what you see as the main ideas of the reading. Don’t just give a series of quotes,
but mention several things that you learned and explain their importance for Catholic faith.
How was I nourished? How was my heart touched? (Human and Spiritual Component)
Reflect and explain how the reading can be applied to your human and spiritual development, how one or more of the ideas above can help make you a better person and a better Christian.
How does this help me in my ministry? How can I use or apply it? (Pastoral Component)
Reflect and explain how the reading can be applied to your pastoral development, how one or more of the ideas above can serve to make you a better servant and a better minister.
Some aspects of the DF program are not limited to one specific day, but rather will be done throughout the year. More information will be provided on separate handouts for the following:
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises – Engaging in dedicated prayer each day, and meeting every two weeks with an individual spiritual director to converse about your prayer experiences.
Annual Growth Contracts / Contratos de crecimiento anual – Each individual will set some personal goals for his or her human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral growth in each year of formation. The contracts will be reviewed twice a year by your Facilitators and the DF staff to help you progress in meeting your goals.
Witness Talks – Preparing a brief personal talk (only 5-7 minutes) with some background on your life and spiritual journey; telling the story of how you came to be in the DF program.
These will usually be given just before Evening Prayer. They will be scheduled and prepared in advance, with at least some written notes, but not simply read or given spontaneously.
“Thick Description” of Your Parish – Getting to know your own parish much better, including the history, people, programs, and processes that make up your faith community.
Liturgical Ministries – Serving your parish (if possible) as a Lector and/or Eucharistic Minister.
Pastoral Project on Caring for the Sick – Getting to know what programs are available in your parish (and in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles), and engaging in some ministry to the sick.
Emails sent to DF staff and facilitators regarding readings, assignments, deadlines, etc. will normally be replied to within two business days (excepting weekends and holidays).
Assignments, presenters, dates, and locations listed in this syllabus are subject to change.See also: Aspirancy Homepage | Year 2 Sessions | Year 2 Spiritual Exercises | Year 2 Bibliography