Hallam Diaconate Handbook

THE PERMANENT DIACONATE
IN THE DIOCESE OF HALLAM

A HANDBOOK

Including guidelines for priests, deacons and parishioners



THE PERMANENT DIACONATE
IN THE DIOCESE OF HALLAM

A HANDBOOK

Including guidelines for priests, deacons and parishioners

ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT....
The Congregation of the Clergy and the Congregation for Catholic
Education have issued a joint declaration as the Basic Norms for the
Formation of Permanent Deacons and a Directory for the Ministry and
Life of Permanent Deacons (1998) and these, taken together, represent
the universal mind of the Church on the permanent diaconate. Our
own Bishops’ Conference further issued a national Directory for the
Formation of Permanent Deacons in England and Wales (updated in
2010) and deacons are included within the Conference’s 2009 Directory
on the Canonical Status of Clergy – rights, obligations and procedures.
This Hallam Handbook replaces earlier versions and is intended to
complement the universal and national Norms and Directory for local use.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure conformity with both the
universal and national norms and direction, where clarity may be needed,
these norms and direction and the Code of Canon Law shall be taken to
have authority.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD by Bishop Ralph Heskett CSSR

PART 1 The Restoration of the Permanent Diaconate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

PART 2 The Vision for the Permanent Diaconate 4

1. The Church 4
2. The Ordained Ministry 7
3. The Deacon 8
4. Consequences of this Vision for the Diocese of Hallam 11

PART 3 The Life of the Deacon 14

1. Prayer and the Divine Office 14
2. Diaconal Fraternity 15
3. Married Deacons 16
4. On-going Formation 17

PART 4 Working Together 18

1. The Ministry of the Word 18
2. The Ministry of the Altar 19
3. The Ministry of Charity 23
4. Other Diocesan Issues 25
25
a) Incardination into the Diocese 25
b) Deacons from outside the Diocese 25
c) Income and Insurance 26
d) Healthy Living 26
e) Wives and Families 26
f) Resignation

PART 5 The Priest, the Parish & the Deacon 27

1. Roles and Relationships 27
2. Practical Consequences 27
3. The Deacon’s Expenses 28
4. Managing the Relationship between a Parish Priest and the Deacon 29
5. The death of a Deacon 31

PART 6 Selection and Formation 32

1. Discerning a Diaconal Vocation 32
2. Applicants seeking Formation towards Ordination as a Deacon 33
33
A. Basics 33
B. Marital Matters 34
C. Personal Qualities 34
D. Formation Requirements 35
3. Selection and Formation 35
A. Application 36
B. The Northern Dioceses Diaconal Training Partnership (NDTP) 37
C. Responsibilities of the “Home” Diocese 38
D. The Hallam Diaconal Formation Team
E. The Support of the Parish Priest in the Formation of a 38

Permanent Deacon

APPENDIX 1 The Northern Diaconal Training Partnership 40

APPENDIX 2 Practical Parish Experience for Candidates to the Diaconate 42

FOREWORD

The restoration of the permanent diaconate has made clearer the threefold
nature of the Church’s ordained ministry. The three orders within the
Sacrament of Holy Orders are cumulative and are grounded in the ministry
of service, the ministry of the deacon. Pope Benedict expressed this in
addressing his own clergy of Rome1. He put it this way:

“Every priest, of course, also continues as a deacon and must always
be aware of this dimension, for the Lord himself became our minister,
our deacon… This dimension seems to me to be of paramount
importance”.

In Hallam the restored permanent diaconate has now been operating since
1993. There are (at January 2017) fifteen permanent deacons working
in the diocese. In the context of our own limited experience it seems
important to develop a clearer understanding of the deacon’s role to be
shared not only among the clergy, but also by the whole diocese.

This Hallam Handbook draws together the vision for the permanent
diaconate, summarizes the life of a deacon, including matters relating to
working together within the diocese and in the parish and sets out detail
concerning the selection and formation of a prospective deacon, including
the role of his own parish priest.

At this time, as we reflect and respond to significant
changes in the resources of the diocese, it is an
opportune moment to reflect on the permanent
diaconate as an integral part of Hallam’s ordained
ministry and to present this Handbook as a
‘touchstone’ for guidance and information for
priests and people alike.

I recommend this Handbook as an aid to deepening
both the understanding of the permanent
diaconate and to effective formation and use of our
ordained deacons.

1. Allocution 7th February 2008

PART 1 1 RESTORATION
The Restoration of the Permanent Diaconate

“For the nurturing and constant growth of the people of God,
Christ the Lord instituted in the Church a variety of ministries,
which work for the good of the whole body. From the apostolic age
the diaconate has had a clearly outstanding position among these
ministries. It has always been held in great honour by the Church.”

(Pope Paul VI, Ad Pascendum, 1972)
Deacons have been with the Church from the beginning and are essential
contributors to the full realisation of the Church’s ordained ministry. St.
Ignatius of Antioch tells us that within seventy years or so of Christ’s
resurrection the structure of the church had so developed that it could
be said that “no church was worthy of the name without the threefold
ministry of bishop, priest and deacon”2. In the re-establishment of the
permanent diaconate the Church is saying to us today that we must
redevelop that structure and its ways of working.

St Stephen preaching to the Greek widows and to his accusers: Fra Angelico
(Chapel of St Nicholas, Vatican Palace)

2. Prayer of the Church, vol. III p.616. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Trallians

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1 RESTORATION THE RESTORATION OF THE PERMANENT DIACONATE (cont)

St Stephen’s expulsion and stoning: Fra Angelico
(Chapel of St Nicholas, Vatican Palace)

By the seventh century the order of deacon, with a few exceptions, was
rarely entered into as a permanent state. It had become an order passed
through en route to priesthood, but it was still part of the hierarchical
order of the Church and never ceased to exist. The Council of Trent
attempted to restore a permanent diaconate, but it was the Second
Vatican Council and the Pope elected during the course of that Council,
Paul VI, who brought this to fruition. In 1966 he had written:

“We stress that the teaching of the Council is channelled in one
direction, the service of humankind, of every condition, in every
weakness and need. The Church has declared herself servant of
humanity at the very time when her teaching role and her pastoral
governance have…assumed greater splendour and vigour. However,
the idea of service has been central”.

Hodie Concilium, AAS 58 (1966): 57-64

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Within the 1972 document promulgating the restoration of the 1 RESTORATION
permanent diaconate, Blessed Paul VI referred to the renewed diaconate
as a ‘driving force’ for the Church’s own diakonia and as a sacramental
embodiment of the most central idea of the entire Council:

“The permanent diaconate should be restored, as a driving force
for the Church’s service (diakonia) towards the local Christian
communities, and as a sign or sacrament of the Lord Jesus himself,
who ‘came not to be served but to serve’. These words recall the
ancient tradition of the Church as expressed by the early Fathers
such as Ignatius of Antioch, who says that deacons are ‘ministers
of the mysteries of Jesus Christ … ministers of the Church of God’
(Trallians, 2.3).”

(Pope Paul VI – Ad Pascendum)
Reflecting on this development, the Bishops of England and Wales said in
2010:

“We are confident that the same Holy Spirit will bring about a new
revitalization of our diocesan and parish communities in England
and Wales through the restored ministry of permanent deacons.
Indeed, there is much evidence of this happening already. However,
we in these lands are undoubtedly still learning about the diaconate
as a specific ministry which some are called by God to exercise
permanently for the good of the Church and the world. We are still
clarifying the profile of the permanent diaconate, very much guided
and inspired by the patterns of the early Church on the one hand
and acutely aware of the needs of the Church in the world of today
on the other.”

(Directory for the Formation of Permanent Deacons
in England and Wales para 1.5)

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2 VISION PART 2
The Vision for the Permanent Diaconate3

1 THE CHURCH

In order to have a clear vision of the permanent diaconate, we must begin
with an understanding of the mind of Christ as expressed in the Church.

a) The early Christian hymn used by St Paul in his Letter to the Philippians
takes us to the heart of the mystery of Christ. ‘His state was divine’
yet ‘he emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave’ and then
‘was humbler yet’. (Philippians 2:6-11). These phrases fill out St Paul’s
injunction that in our minds ‘we must be the same as Christ Jesus’ and
echo the words of Jesus found in Matthew’s Gospel: “anyone who
wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man
came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many”. (Mt 20:28)

b) This same mystery of Christ is continued in the life of the Church which
he “established and ever sustains” as “a visible organisation through
which he communicates truth and grace to all”. (Lumen Gentium 8)

c) A clear and contemporary vision of the Church is given by Pope
Benedict XVI in his Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est:

“The Church’s deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold
responsibility: of proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria),
celebrating the sacraments (Ieitourgia), and exercising the ministry
of charity (diakonia). These duties presuppose each other and are
inseparable. For the Church, charity is not a kind of welfare activity
which could equally well be left to others, but is a part of her nature,
an indispensable expression of her very being”.

Deus Caritas Est 25

3. This part of this document (and elements of subsequent parts) draws heavily on the Handbook
issued by the Archdiocese of Westminster in 2009 to whom we are grateful for permission to adapt
their document for use in the Diocese of Hallam.

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d) This three-fold responsibility belongs to all the faithful. Through 2 VISION
Baptism each one is united with Christ and so shares in the mission
given to Christ by the Father, the mission of proclamation, prayer
and charity. Letting the Gospel be known by what is said and done
(martyria); praising God in prayer and liturgy (leitourgia); serving those
in need (diakonia) are proper to every baptised person.

e) The service of those in need is, of course, first and foremost a
responsibility of each individual follower of Christ. But it is also a
responsibility for the entire Church at every level: parish, diocese,
universal Church. The love which the Church is to practice needs to be
organised if it is to be an ordered service to the community4.

St Lawrence receiving treasures of the Church and distributing alms: Fra Angelico
(Chapel of St Nicholas, Vatican Palace)

4. Deus Caritas Est 20

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2 VISION 1 THE CHURCH (cont)

f) Pope Francis, too, took up this theme of the necessity of effective
service within the Church when he spoke to a worldwide gathering of
deacons in Rome during the Year of Mercy:

“The Lord entrusted the Apostles with a new commandment: ‘Love
one another’. Jesus is himself this newness…as he did, so we should
do…By loving one another the disciples continue the mission for
which the Son of God came into the world…[T]his commandment
involves service to our brothers and sisters. This realization of the
necessity of service along with the concrete needs of the early
Christian community led the disciples to implement the diaconate…
Deacons manifest the commandment of Jesus in a special way,
imitating…the manner of God’s acting – that is, His acting with
patience, goodness, compassion... – these must also characterize
all ministers. [But] it is especially deacons who are the face of the
Church in the daily lives of a community in the midst of the people
and in which the greatest is not the one who commands, but the one
who serves”.

(Allocution 4th June 2016)

In summary, the ministry of charity of the Church is the
criterion of the genuineness of the faith of the Church. The
Church gains credibility when the corporal and spiritual works
of mercy are performed. The Church loses credibility when
they are not.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols in
‘The Permanent Diaconate in The Archdiocese of Birmingham’, 2006

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2 THE ORDAINED MINISTRY 2 VISION

Within the life of the Church a key and leading role is played by the
ordained ministry. This, too, needs to be understood.

a) The service offered through the Sacrament of Holy Orders is always
for the benefit of the priestly, prophetic and kingly character of all the
baptised. Holy Orders do not detract from the calling of the lay faithful,
but seek to serve and nurture that calling. Priests and deacons are
there to enable the faithful to live the life of communion and mission.
The work of prayer, witness and service is properly that of every
baptised person. The ordained ministers serve that work. They are
present not to carry it out on behalf of others, but to lead, in service,
the entire community.
b) Priests and deacons, then, receive
the particular sacramental grace
of embodying and serving the
deepest nature of the Church.
This means that priests and
deacons, as ordained ministers of
the Church, are public witnesses
to the life of the Church in its
calling to worship God in prayer
and liturgy, to proclaim the truth
of the Gospel in contemporary
society and to serve those in
need. They must both serve the
work of the Church carried out by
the baptised and also embody it
themselves.

c) The particular dimension of ‘diakonia’, the service of those in need, is
integral to the ordained ministry, to the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Indeed, the bishop has primary responsibility for the Church’s
charitable activities (cf. Acts 2:42-44 and Deus Caritas Est 32). These
responsibilities are exercised in cooperation with the priests and the
deacons.

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2 VISION 3 THE DEACON

a) The ‘diakonia’ of the Church is shown clearly in the Order of Deacons in
two ways:

i. Firstly, the deacon embodies the truth that all ordained ministry in
the Church is to be exercised as a service. Every priest and every
bishop always remains a deacon, too. Everything a deacon does is
to be characterised by this spirit of service. The model of service
is Christ himself (Mk10: 43-45). The vocation of the deacon, then,
is first of all to configure himself and his life to Christ the Servant
and in doing so to give his life in service of the Church under the
direction of the bishop. At the centre of his formation must be the
task of forming a ‘diaconal heart’ so that he becomes a man who
loves and serves the people with Christ’s love.

ii. Secondly, the deacon embodies, in a particular way, the ‘diakonia’ of
service to those in need which is a fundamental characteristic of the
life of the Church. Indeed it can be said that the deacon, while not
replacing the lay faithful nor the ordained priest in anything that is
proper to them, serves the faithful most evidently in the activities
which express the ‘diakonia’, the ministry of charity, of the entire
Church. In this serving the deacon expresses, draws out, encourages
and enlivens the diaconal nature of the Church. It is for this reason
that all ordained leadership in the Church starts from diaconal
ordination.

In speaking of deacons, the Acts of the Apostles describes them as
men ‘full of the Spirit and of wisdom’. (Acts 6:3). They were not merely
carrying out mechanical works of charity or distribution but ministers
of the Church in persona Christi servi.

Through sacramental ordination “the diaconate imprints a
character and communicates a specific sacramental grace. The
diaconal character is the configurative and distinguishing sign
indelibly impressed on the soul, which configures the one ordained
to Christ, who made himself the deacon and servant of all”.
The Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons 7 and CCC 1570

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The deacon is the one who cooperates with the bishop and priest in 2 VISION
directing the Church’s diaconal service to those in need. The ordained
deacon has a particular task of inspiring, motivating and leading others
in the work of meeting both the corporal and spiritual needs of the
people.

“The deacon is the specific sacramental sign in the Church, of Christ
the Servant. His role is to express the needs and the desires of
the Christian communities and to be a driving force for service, or
diakonia”

Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons 2.5

b) Within the work of the Church, then, the deacon stands as the one who
serves. This is true of all three aspects of his ministry.

i. As a minister of the Word he
will ensure that every work
of service in the Church,
especially the service of
the poor, is rooted in and
motivated by the love of
Christ and his saving Word.
His preaching will pay
particular attention to forming
and nurturing the diaconal
nature of the Church. As a
‘herald of the Gospel’ he will
respond to the environment
in which he lives and works,
bringing to it the challenge of
the Gospel, and bringing the
challenge of contemporary
culture to his preaching. His will be the task of attempting to bring
together the truths of the Gospel and the assumptions of the age,
particularly as those assumptions are experienced in the world of
work and secular activity. In his preaching he will show forth that
‘wisdom in action’ of which the Acts of the Apostles speaks (cf Acts
6:1-6).

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2 VISION 3 THE DEACON (cont)

ii. As a minister of the Altar at Mass he will demonstrate by his
presence the servant nature of the Church, bringing forward the
needs of the people in the Prayer of the Faithful, assisting in the
distribution of Holy Communion, issuing the invitation at the end
of Mass that all should go to live the gospel of the One who came to
serve.

iii. As a minister of Charity by word and example he will stimulate and
coordinate support to those in need in a manner that responds
to contemporary needs, in response to the appointment he has
received from the bishop and in cooperation with the parish
priest(s).

In these ways the permanent deacon will be a permanent sign of the
servant Church.
The three contexts of the diaconal ministry represent a unity in service
that leads outwards to the service of others. The ministry of the word
leads to ministry at the altar, which in turn prompts the transformation
of life through the liturgy, resulting in charity:

“If we consider the deep spiritual nature of this diakonia, then
we shall better appreciate the inter-relationship between
the three areas of ministry traditionally associated with
the diaconate, that is, the ministry of the word, the ministry
of the altar and the ministry of charity. Depending on the
circumstances, one or other of these may take on special
importance in the individual work of a deacon, but these three
ministries are inseparably joined in God’s plan for redemption”.

Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons 39

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4 CONSEQUENCES OF THIS VISION FOR THE DIOCESE OF HALLAM 2 VISION

As Bishop of Hallam, I accept the vision of the
permanent diaconate outlined in Part Two of
this document. The Permanent Diaconate is an
ordained resource of the diocese and needs to
be developed and used as such to serve fully
and appropriately. To this end the following
over-arching guidance is given. The more
detailed support and guidance set out in Parts
4 - 6 of this Handbook is designed to help
develop a stronger diaconate.

a) Promoting the Permanent Diaconate:

There needs to be a clear recognition and promotion within the
diocese of the diaconate as a distinct vocation in the life of the Church.
The accepted nature and role of the permanent diaconate needs to
be developed. This Handbook sets out the theological basis of the
diaconate and this forms a sound basis for education in the nature and
purpose of the vocation to permanent diaconate.

In the light of this understanding of diaconate, priests of the diocese
are encouraged to be alert to potential vocations among eligible
parishioners and to refer on to the Director of Deacons suitable men
expressing a possible call to the diaconate. The requirements for
acceptance onto the formation programme are set out in Part 6 of the
Handbook. The short booklet Becoming a Permanent Deacon in the
Diocese of Hallam is available to be given to anyone enquiring about
the diaconate.

Deacons, too, need to be mindful of the guidance in this Handbook
and continually seek to develop, through ongoing formation, their own
knowledge and understanding of diaconate. But the best means of
promoting the diaconate in the diocese is through deacons themselves
prayerfully and effectively exercising their ministry among those they
are asked to serve.

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2 VISION 4 CONSEQUENCES OF THIS VISION FOR THE DIOCESE OF HALLAM (cont)

b) The Deployment of Permanent Deacons

Through faculties from the bishop, a deacon is deployed to serve the
diocese according to the needs of the diocese. In Hallam it has been
the norm that a new deacon becomes the parish deacon for his home
parish. However, a deacon may be assigned to his home parish, another
parish, a number of parishes or his deanery. For day to day management
purposes, a deacon reports to only one assigned priest.

Because of his skills, strengths or a wider need, a deacon may
additionally be assigned by the bishop to other roles within the diocese.
Who he is accountable to for these specific role(s) needs to be made
clear when the assignment is made.

At ordination, the deacon is handed the Book of the Gospels by his
bishop with the words, “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you
now are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice
what you teach”. It follows that “[t]he service of the diaconal ministry
finds its identity in the act of evangelizing”5 . Deacons “help in the
apostolic ministry and share in its proclamation”6 . So the deployment of
Hallam deacons should include specific and appropriate responsibilities
in evangelizing to match and deploy effectively the abilities of each
deacon..

Importantly, “all the diakonia of the Church – of which the ministerial
diaconate is a sign and instrument – has its heart beating in the
Eucharistic Ministry”7 . Hence all Hallam deacons are rooted in the
Eucharistic community of a parish and should assist as deacons in the
Sunday Liturgy there as a basic minimum. The deacon’s role at Mass
includes his representing the serving nature of the Church as he brings
to the altar the needs of those he serves. Service at the altar is an
integral part of the life of any deacon. It follows that deacons in Hallam
will not be ordained only to continue particular ministries away from
their assigned Eucharistic community.

5. Pope St John Paul II cited by Pope Francis in foreword to The Diaconate in the Thought of Pope
Francis by John Donaghy (2017)

6. Pope Francis in the same foreword.
7. ibid

Page 12

The diakonia of the Church, and so (because he is its sign and 2 VISION
instrument), the diakonia of the ordained deacon “is made real in the
first place in the service of the poor who carry in themselves the face
of Christ who suffers”8 . An important role of the deacon is supporting,
enabling and encouraging the work of charity and the servant role of
the Church, including both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
For this reason, wherever a deacon is deployed, care should be taken to
ensure that his vocation of service and outreach is exercised.

A deacon’s assigned role could include specific responsibilities in
outreach to those in need within a parish, deanery or within the wider
community for particular needs. The deacon’s focus on supporting
those at the margins or in need should always be borne in mind
together with any relevant experience or training the deacon may
already have. The role of a deacon must be seen as distinct from that of
a priest.

It is important, for the effective use of an ordained deacon that priests
and lay faithful together develop their own understanding of the
diaconate9 .

Deacons are servants of the diocese and, as such, need to be prepared
to respond to the call of the bishop or his delegate to pastoral need
beyond their home parish boundary.

Likewise, where a deacon has the ability and time, a parish not fully
using the abilities of a deacon should be open to the deacon being
assigned to serve a legitimate need elsewhere.

8. ibid
9. Pope Francis, October 2017: “Today it is...important to analyse in depth the development of the

permanent diaconate from its renewal until the present...through an interpretation which uses all
the doctrinal, pastoral and exhortative richness..[of]...the discourses addressed by the popes on
various occasions....since the Council”

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3 LIFE OF THE DEACON PART 3
The Life Of The Deacon

“The origin of the diaconate is the consecration and mission of Christ,
in which the deacon is called to share10. Through the imposition of
hands and the prayer of consecration, he is constituted a sacred
minister and a member of the hierarchy. This condition determines
his theological and juridical status in the Church”.

Opening words of The Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons

All that follows are the practical implications of that status in terms of
ministry and relationships in day-to-day diocesan and parish life.

1 PRAYER AND THE DIVINE OFFICE

The deacon is in a unique way an icon of Christ the Servant, and his life
must therefore be focused on Christ.

The importance of the spiritual life in the ministry of a deacon cannot be
overemphasised. It needs to be clear that a deep life of prayer, lived in
close union with Christ the
Servant, is the wellspring of
their entire ministry. When
they are at the altar, they
are truly leading the people
of God in worship, not just
“functioning as deacons”, and
so they must take care to
bring a prayerful interiority to
the celebration of the liturgy.
On their prayer-life depends
also the effectiveness of all
their preaching and their
exercise of pastoral charity.

10. Also a reference to Lumen Gentium 28a.

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Time each day for prayer, both liturgical and personal, is an essential 3 LIFE OF THE DEACON
ingredient in the deacon’s life. In Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem Paul VI
wrote:

“It is fitting for permanent Deacons to recite daily at least some part
of the Divine Office – to be specified by the Episcopal Conference”.

In this country, to fulfil the undertaking at ordination “to celebrate
faithfully the liturgy of the hours”, deacons are directed to celebrate the
Principal Hours, namely, Morning and Evening Prayer and urged, insofar
as their circumstances allow, to pray as much of the Prayer of the Church
as they can. The deacon should strive to assist frequently at Mass. He
should practice regular and suitably frequent Confession.

2 DIACONAL FRATERNITY

By virtue of ordination
deacons are united
to each other by a
sacramental fraternity.
Each deacon should have
a sense of being joined
with his fellow deacons
in a bond of charity,
prayer, obedience to the
bishop, ministerial zeal
and collaboration and
should do all in his power
to foster this sense of fraternity11. He does this specifically by attendance
at ordinations of deacons, days of recollection or retreats for deacons
and meetings of the diaconal fraternity, for in-service formation, or to
socialise. In Hallam Diocese, meetings for all deacons and candidates for
the diaconate occur quarterly.

11. Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons (DMLPD) 6. Cf also DMLPD 11.

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3 LIFE OF THE DEACON 3 MARRIED DEACONS

The first duty of the married deacon is to his wife and family. His first
call then – as with all the baptised but also as one who participates in the
apostolic teaching office – must be to live his married, family and working
life in the light of the Gospel.

It is in his family and working life that the deacon must first and foremost
bring the Gospel to bear; his ministry of charity must be worked out there
too. When he comes to the altar, the summit and source of his Christian
life, the deacon brings with him his wife, family and working life, not to
mention his pastoral ministry, and offers all of this to the Lord.

In this light the deacon must see his wife and family and his responsibility
to provide for them via his working-life, as his first priority. This takes
precedence over all ecclesiastical functions and activities.

Therefore, should the deacon
and his wife feel that their
marriage is under undue
stress, it would be right to
seek leave of absence from
diaconal duties to spend more
time together and, where
appropriate, to reflect on
whatever might be undermining
their relationship. Equally,
where there is some other
family or personal difficulty, it
might be appropriate to seek
leave of absence for a time.
Where a deacon and/or his
wife are considering leave of
absence, the matter should be
raised with the Director for
Permanent Diaconate in the
first instance.

Page 16

The married deacon is the one minister from within the threefold 3 LIFE OF THE DEACON
hierarchy who can live, as most of the baptised do, as a married working
person – and like the rest of the baptised he brings this to the altar. He is
rightly described then as a bridge between the sanctuary and the wider
world. He is at the interface between the secular and sacred and so is a
primary agent of evangelisation and mission, configured to Christ the
Servant in the midst of contemporary culture.

4 ONGOING FORMATION 12

It is a requirement that candidates for the diaconate understand that
their formation does not end with ordination but is the task of a lifetime13.
It is therefore incumbent on all deacons to take part in the various in-
service days organised by the diocese, including the quarterly meeting of
deacons.
A deacon should seek out a suitable spiritual director with whom he can
establish regular contact.
It is expected that the deacon will make a retreat of five days every
two years. Where one is arranged, he will make this retreat with fellow
deacons of the diocese14. Should a deacon choose to organise his own
retreat he should notify the Director for the Permanent Diaconate as to
what arrangements he has made. The cost of a biennial retreat should be
borne by the parish.

12. DMLPD 63-82
13. Directory for the Formation of Permanent Deacons in England and Wales, chapter 4
14. Canon 276 esp. sub-sections 2 & 4

Page 17

PART 4
Working Together

Like the priest, the deacon’s primary ministerial relationship is with
the bishop, so much so, that one of the earliest references to deacons
tells us that deacons are ordained “not for priesthood but for service
to the bishop”15.

4 WORKING TOGETHER Deacons (again like priests) are ordained
for the diocese and then appointed to a
specific role within the diocese, which
frequently includes being assigned to a
parish. There is no reason why a deacon,
whilst being appointed to a particular
parish, should not also have a wider
appointment to minister in a group of
parishes or within a deanery16. His skills,
circumstances and experience might be
such that the bishop could ask him to
take on a diocesan role.

1 THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

The bishop, during the rite of ordination,
gives the book of the Gospel to the deacon
saying: “Receive the Gospel of Christ
whose herald you now are”.

A principal function of the deacon is to
collaborate with the bishop and the priests
in the exercise of this ministry.

15. Traditio Apostolica 1, 9; trans. B.S.Easton. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (London, Archon
Books, 1962) 38

16. DMLPD 41 & 42

Page 18

a) The deacon through his ordination has the faculty in accordance with 4 WORKING TOGETHER
the conditions established by law to preach everywhere17. This should
be exercised with at least the tacit consent of the parish priest of the
parish concerned and also “with the humility proper to one who is
servant and not master of the Word of God 18”.

b) The homily is ordinarily given by the priest who presides at the
Eucharist – but a deacon or concelebrating priest may be invited to
preach19. A deacon could be invited to preach on a regular basis at
Sunday Mass but care should be taken that the people of the parish
regularly hear their parish priest preaching and that the deacon is
adequately trained and able to preach effectively.

c) This Ministry of the Word also embraces assisting the people to grow
in their knowledge of their faith in Christ and to express it in their
family, professional and social lives. For this reason a deacon must give
attention to catechesis at all stages of Christian living20.

d) Through his working life the deacon, “to the extent that he is present
and more involved than the priest in secular environments and
structures, should feel encouraged to foster closeness between the
ordained ministry and lay activities, in common service to the kingdom
of God21”.

2 THE MINISTRY OF THE ALTAR

a) After the priest, by virtue of his ordination, the deacon holds first
place among those who minister at the altar; it is preferable that he
usually assists daily at Mass if possible22. The degree of his diaconal
participation in both dress and style would be determined by the
solemnity of the celebration.

17. DMLPD 24. Also Canon 764
18. ibid
19. General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM) 26
20. DMLPD 25
21. Pope St. John Paul II General Audience: 13th Oct. 1993
22. Canon 276. Also St John Paul II General Audience 20th Oct. 1993 n.4 quoting Pope Paul VI’s

Apostolic Letter Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem n.26. Also GIRM 94 and 116: “If a deacon is present
at any celebration of Mass he should exercise his office”. Also GIRM 171: “When he is present at the
Eucharistic celebration, a deacon should exercise his ministry wearing sacred vestments”.

Page 19

2 THE MINISTRY OF THE ALTAR (cont)

4 WORKING TOGETHER b) The celebration of Mass:

At Mass it is the deacon’s role to:

i. Carry the book of the Gospels
prominently or walk at the priest’s
side.

ii. Proclaim the penitential litany (at
the discretion of the celebrant).

iii. Proclaim the Gospel.

iv. Give the homily (occasionally at the
discretion of the celebrant).

v. Proclaim the Intercessions if there is
no other suitable minister present23.

vi. Prepare the altar and assist the celebrant to receive the gifts.

vii. Mix the water with the wine and hand the bread and wine to
celebrant (saying the accompanying prayer quietly24).

viii. Incense the celebrant and people.

ix. Stand near (slightly behind) the priest during the Eucharistic
Prayer.

x. Kneel from the epiclesis until after the showing of the chalice
(unless physically unable to kneel). If standing, the deacon bows
profoundly at the showing of the Host and the chalice.

xi. Hold the chalice aloft at the same level as the priest holds the
paten during the doxology.

xii. Invite the people to exchange the sign of peace after the priest has
said the words: “the peace of the Lord be with you always”.

xiii. Assist the priest, if necessary, with the fraction.

xiv. Receive Holy Communion under both kinds.

xv. Assist in the distribution of Holy Communion and administer
the chalice if communion is given under both kinds without
extraordinary minister(s)25.

23. GIRM 71
24. GIRM 178
25. Cf GIRM 84 and 284 “By tradition the deacon administers the chalice”.

Page 20

xvi. Purify the vessels26, ensuring the sacred species are consumed. 4 WORKING TOGETHER
Especially if there are several vessels, their purification is
preferably left until after Mass27”.

xvii. Make any announcements after the post-communion prayer,
unless the celebrant prefers to do this himself.

xviii.Instruct the people to bow their heads if a solemn prayer of
blessing is used.

xix. Dismiss the people after the final blessing.

xx. Venerate the altar with the priest and walk beside the priest and
other ministers as they leave the altar28.

xxi. He should not act as MC or take on any other role within the
sanctuary other than deacon. However if no other server is
present, he fulfils the duties of other ministers29.

c) Liturgical Dress:

The vestment proper to the deacon at the celebration of the Eucharist
is the dalmatic worn over the alb and stole. The dalmatic may, however,
be omitted out of necessity or on account of a lesser degree of
solemnity30.

For Baptisms, funerals and Marriages and for presiding at liturgies of
the Word or, the Liturgy of the Hours an alb and stole is appropriate.
For exposition of the Blessed Sacrament a cope may be worn over the
alb and stole.

d) Clerical dress:

Permanent deacons are not bound by the provisions of the code on
clerical dress31. However, on occasions when he is actually ministering
as a deacon it may be appropriate for him to wear a clerical collar or
some other recognisable sign of office.

26. GIRM 183 “the deacon returns to the altar …carries the chalice and other vessels to the credence table,
where he purifies them…while the priest returns to the chair.” Also Redemptionis Sacramentum 119

27. Celebrating the Mass 214
28. GIRM 171 and 186
29. GIRM 171 ff
30. GIRM 338: “The vestment proper to the deacon is the dalmatic, worn over the alb and stole. The dalmatic

may however be omitted out of necessity or on account of a lesser degree of solemnity.”
31. Canon 288

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4 WORKING TOGETHER 2 THE MINISTRY OF THE ALTAR (cont)

e) The Deacon as an ordinary minister:

i. As an ordinary minister of Baptism, Marriage and Communion32
and as one able to preside at exposition of the Blessed Sacrament33,
funeral services34, the Hours and Liturgies of the Word, it is right,
depending upon the needs of
the parish, that the deacon take
his turn at presiding at these
liturgical celebrations.

ii. In the case of Marriage and
funeral liturgies it is only in the
absence of a priest that the
deacon should preside35.

iii. When there is no priest
available to celebrate Mass,
the deacon should, under the
direction of the parish priest,
gather the people at appropriate times to celebrate either Morning
or Evening Prayer or a Liturgy of the Word from the Mass of the day,
with or without the distribution of Holy Communion according to
norms laid down by the diocese.

iv. It is important to keep in mind that the deacon is not ordained
to replace participation by the lay faithful but to facilitate it36. So
deacons may appropriately assist in the formation of readers, and
extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.

f) Blessings:

It is quite appropriate that, when presiding, a deacon give a blessing
in accordance with the prescribed liturgical norms. He may also bless

32. Canons 861, 1108, 1116.2, 910
33. Holy Communion & Worship of the Eucharist outside Mass 91
34. Order of Christian Funerals 14
35. DMLPD 36 which cites Rituale Romanum – De Benedictionibus n.18
36. “The functions assigned to the deacon can in no way diminish the role of lay people…On the contrary, the

deacon’s tasks include that of ‘promoting and sustaining the apostolic activities of the laity…”. Pope St.
John Paul II: General Audience 13th Oct. 1993

Page 22

people who present themselves for a blessing at Holy Communion 4 WORKING TOGETHER
according to local custom. It is also appropriate, in the absence of a
priest, that he imparts a blessing at the end of a meeting or parish
gathering. He may also bless water, crucifixes and other religious
artefacts, bless homes and all objects as specified in the book of
blessings37.

3 THE MINISTRY OF CHARITY

a) As the Servant of Charity38, the deacon should lead the way in making
the parish in which he serves, aware and sensitive to the needs of
the poor and to issues of Justice and Peace, taking a leading role in
encouraging outreach and in practical support wherever possible.

b) Even though the deacon according to the provisions of Canon 288
(unlike a priest or bishop) is not forbidden from running for public
office or playing an active role in a political party or a trade union, the
teaching of Pope Benedict in “Deus Caritas Est” is especially relevant.
Pope Benedict distinguishes between Christian charitable activity and
programmes of social action driven by political parties or ideologies.
If an ordained deacon is considering putting himself forward for such
public office, he should first discuss this with the Director for the
Permanent Diaconate.

c) As a minister who is especially called to promote harmony and unity,
the deacon could appropriately have a special interest in the parish in
promoting ecumenical and interfaith collaboration39.

d) The deacon’s ministry of charity should lead him to have a special
concern for those pushed to the margins of life. This concern may find
expression in direct or indirect support.

e) A deacon might be asked by the bishop to take on a special
responsibility of pastoral care for certain groups of people that do not
fit within parish categories and may need special support and care. The
deacon’s experience and training might indicate suitability. Appropriate
levels of fresh training for him and/or co-workers might also be needed.

37. In the absence of a Book of Blessings drawn up by our own hierarchy, we are authorized to use the
Book of Blessings authorized by the American or Canadian Bishops’ Conference.

38. Benedict XVI: Deus Caritas Est, especially sections 19-27
39. DMLPD 22

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4 WORKING TOGETHER 3 THE MINISTRY OF CHARITY (cont)

f) Deacons may be hospital and prison chaplains, in which case a special
relationship with all the priests of an area is necessary for them to carry
out their ministry.

g) If a parish deacon is intending to visit a hospital or a prison, he should
first consult the existing chaplain.

h) Deacons must avoid anything that might cause confusion as to the
nature of their ministry. They should not attempt to anoint people
with oil, as this might be perceived as the sacramental Anointing of
the Sick. They should not invite a person to confess their sins as if they
were going to confession – but only in the general sense, as with the “I
Confess…” in the penitential rites.

i) The primary sacrament of the dying is Viaticum, Communion for the
journey, which a deacon may administer. Where a priest is unavailable
and a person is in danger of death, the appropriate rite for a deacon
to use is a penitential rite such as those used at the beginning of Mass
with its prayer for absolution: “May almighty God have mercy on us…”.
As part of the preparation for this the deacon should urge the dying
person to be truly contrite for their
sins, and help them to make a gesture
of repentance such as responding with
a “Yes”, by a squeeze of the hand or an
act of contrition. If possible this should
be followed by Viaticum40.

j) Many functions, especially
administrative functions that were
originally diaconal functions, were
taken over by the presbyterate when the diaconate ceased to be a
permanent ministry. It would be wise therefore for parish priests with
a deacon to reflect and discern which functions could better be given
back to the deacon so that as a priest he might have more time to
devote himself “to prayer and to the service of the Word”41.

40. As in Pastoral Care of the Sick p.173, omitting the Apostolic Blessing reserved for priests. A
shortened form may be used if appropriate.

41. Cf Acts 7:4

Page 24

k) Whilst a deacon may act as a spiritual director or have some other 4 WORKING TOGETHER
pastoral role in relation to the SVP or some other lay sodality, as a
member of the clergy it may not be appropriate for the deacon to
remain simply as an ordinary member of such a group.

l) The deacon as ordinary minister of Holy Communion is ideally suited
to organising, in collaboration with the priest, the care of the sick. So
he could train extraordinary ministers to take communion into homes,
care homes and hospitals. Where possible, Communion should be taken
to the sick directly from the celebration of Mass.

4 OTHER DIOCESAN ISSUES

a) Incardination into the Diocese is brought about by ordination to
the diaconate. A deacon should not change his parish of residence
without first informing his bishop. A deacon wishing to move from the
diocese and exercise his ministry in another diocese should first obtain
authorisation both from the bishop and from the bishop of the diocese
into which he is moving.42 A deacon should not move away from the
diocese without first consulting the bishop.

b) Deacons from outside the Diocese: When a deacon moves into this
diocese from another, it would be normal to have a period of at least
two years before formal incardination into the diocese takes place. Any
formal appointment to a parish would need to be for a limited period,
renewable on a regular basis and made permanent by the process of
incardination. Before even a temporary appointment is made, some
form of induction process needs to take place whereby the Director for
Diaconate meets the deacon and discusses with him the customs and
policies of the diocese and introduces him to other deacons in the area
where he resides.

c) Income and Insurance: In this diocese it is a condition of acceptance
onto the Permanent Diaconate Formation Programme that the
diaconal student and later the ordained deacon can provide for his own
and his family’s financial upkeep. If a deacon is not on a pension or is
without an income from a secular source and is engaged formally by

42. Cf Canons 267-268c.1. Also DMLPD 2-3

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4 WORKING TOGETHER 4 OTHER DIOCESAN ISSUES (cont)

the diocese in full-time ecclesiastical ministry, the diocese will make
suitable arrangements with the deacon concerned in accordance with
Canon Law43. A deacon is covered by diocesan indemnity insurance for
legitimate actions when carrying out legitimate actions as a deacon.

d) Healthy Living: A deacon is responsible for his own well-being,
especially given his responsibilities to his marriage and family.
Adequate and regular time off must be taken and allowed for by parish
priests. A basic maxim for permanent deacons is “Family first, job
second, diaconate third”. Both deacons and their parish priests need
to respect this maxim and maintain a healthy living style that enables
soundly based diaconal service to be preserved.

e) Wives and Families: The vows undertaken in the Sacrament of Marriage
precede the Sacrament of Orders for any married deacon. The Church
seeks to respond to a diaconal vocation within the context of the
consecrated married relationship. The diocese will, therefore, respond
positively and for the good of the marriage as its first concern when a
deacon’s wife or a close family member
reports that a deacon is overloaded or
over-prioritizing diaconal duties. Wives
are encouraged to share their concerns
with the Director of Deacons either
directly or through the help of a family
member, a friend or another deacon’s
wife. The Director of Deacons should
encourage networking between the
wives of deacons and seek to meet
them periodically.

f) Resignation: As with priests, upon
reaching their 75th birthday, deacons shall offer their resignation from
active ministry to the bishop, notifying the Director that they have
done so. Deacons may choose to retire or take agreed time away from
ministry at an earlier age where health, family or other pressures show
this to be beneficial to the deacon or his wife.

43. DMLPD 15-20. Also Canon 281

Page 26

PART 5 5 PRIEST, PARISH & DEACON
The Priest, the Parish and the Deacon

1 ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS

All priests are ordained to the diaconate before ordination to the
priesthood and so diaconal service is part of their ministry too44.

However, once a deacon is ordained and assigned to a parish, then the
bishop has a minister present in that place whose prime role is to be an
icon of service for that community.

Both priest and deacon are sent by the bishop45 and are in a parish under
obedience to the bishop46.

2 PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES

a) It is essential that both priest and deacon collaborate with each other
for the good of the community they both serve.

b) The parish priest has the canonical responsibility and authority for
leading the parish and ensuring its pastoral care47. It is he who normally
presides in the name of the bishop at the liturgy and over the parish
community. The deacon should do all in his power to facilitate and serve
the legitimate exercise of that leadership.

c) The deacon, sent by the bishop, is a close collaborator with the priest
– this should be evident in their relationship with each other and with
the parish as a whole.

d) It is the parish priest’s role to set the tone of the parish in the
celebration of the liturgy. Both he and the deacon must be guided by
the norms laid down by the General Instruction on the Roman Missal
and the practical advice offered by our Bishops’ Conference in their
document Celebrating the Mass (April 2005).

44. “Every priest, of course, also continues as a deacon and must always be aware of this dimension, for
the Lord himself became our minister, our deacon”. Pope Benedict to the clergy of the Diocese of
Rome 7th Feb 2008

45. Canon 835
46. Cf Rite of Ordination of a Deacon 16
47. Canons 519, 530, 532, 536 & 537

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5 PRIEST, PARISH & DEACON 2 PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES (cont)

e) The deacon’s specific task is that of inspiring, motivating and leading
others in diaconal service of both corporal and spiritual needs. He
should be in his own ministry “a driving force for service, or diakonia48”.

f) Priest and deacon should be loyal to one another, remembering that
they are both ordained ministers collaborating for the good of the
people within their care. All gossip concerning each other should be
shunned.

g) The priest should remember that in the deacon he has a colleague who
by ordination is there to serve Christ in his people and who has himself
pledged obedience to the bishop.

h) The parish priest should ensure, within the circumstances of his parish,
that the deacon has adequate opportunity to exercise his ministry.

i) As a member of the parish clergy it is fitting that the deacon be actively
involved with parish structures, including the parish council, according
to his abilities, time and the needs of the parish. The deacon, when
his employment and family circumstances permit, should attend all
deanery meetings.

3 THE DEACON’S EXPENSES

Canonically, all offerings belong to the parish49. However, a deacon should
not be out of pocket when exercising his ministry. For this reason, the
following are norms for Hallam Diocese:

The deacon is not remunerated for any task he performs as a Deacon (e.g.
for taking funerals or weddings (see Canon 281:3).

Remuneration for diaconal tasks would be construed as earnings from
self-employment and the deacon could be liable to pay tax on these. It
may separately effect benefit entitlements.

A deacon is entitled to claim from his parish reimbursement of expenses
necessarily incurred in performing his role (e.g. mileage at the standard

48. Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons 2.5
49. Canon 531

Page 28

rate for the diocese, administrative costs or essential books). Other 5 PRIEST, PARISH & DEACON
items which may be of interest, but not specifically diaconal, would
not be considered as an expense. A key principle to bear in mind is that
reasonable expenses would be those incurred over and above the role of
an active parishioner. The parish priest is entitled to require receipts or
other evidence for expenses claimed.

When claiming expenses from the parish, it is recommended that the
diocesan expenses form is used and receipts provided, as far as is
practicable, for any item of expense.

It is the responsibility of the parish to cover the costs of the deacon
including retreats, in-service training and any meetings at which
attendance is required or expected. This applies both to the cost of
the event and the travel involved. However, in smaller parishes where
the income is likely to be low the deacon may apply to the Director of
Deacons to seek a contribution toward the cost of attendance.

A parish priest may choose to make a financial or physical gift to the
deacon periodically. It should be made clear that what is given is given as
a gift.

Similarly, when a parishioner makes clear that an offering is a personal
gift for the deacon and not an offering for a service received, the deacon
may keep the gift up to a value of £50. Gifts worth more than £50 must be
declared to the Parish Priest who may allow the gift to be accepted.

4 MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A PARISH PRIEST AND THE DEACON

The parish priest and deacon should make time to meet regularly to
keep each other informed in a professional and respectful way. It is
recommended that the priest and deacon include in these meetings a
regular review of the deacon’s role within the parish. These meetings
should be used to plan, agree and review the type of ministry that the
deacon performs in the parish community and to ensure that it is being
carried out effectively. The priest (and the deacon) should be aware that
the deacon may be a married person, and therefore needs to consider the
implication of any action upon the deacon’s family or professional life.

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5 PRIEST, PARISH & DEACON 4 MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A PARISH PRIEST AND THE DEACON (cont)

The deacon should be able to say “No” and this should be respected by the
priest. Both priest and deacon should be open to the suggestions made by
the other. The key words are “consultation” and “mutual respect”.

As with all relationships there are
times of strain and stress which
require special attention. If either
priest or deacon considers that
the relationship is not working
as well as it could be then it is
expected that the matter is taken
up between them in an open and
honest manner.

If the matter cannot be resolved
within the deacon / priest
relationship then both are offered
separate ways of resolution.

a) The priest is encouraged to
discuss the matter with the
Director of Deacons.

b) The deacon is encouraged to
discuss the matter with one of
the Assistant Directors of their
choosing.

If the matter is not resolved then the next stage would be a four way
meeting involving the deacon, priest, Director of Deacons, and the
appropriate Assistant Director.

Failing any resolution the next step would be to seek the advice or
involvement of the bishop.

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5 THE DEATH OF A DEACON 5 PRIEST, PARISH & DEACON

Upon the death of a deacon the parish priest should notify the bishop,
the Vicar General, the Director for the Permanent Diaconate and the
Dean. Whilst normally the deacon’s family would make the necessary
arrangements for his funeral and meet any normal funeral expenses, it
would be right and appropriate that the parish would meet the cost of
any additional hospitality expenses incurred or expenses relating to the
funeral liturgy itself.
Deacons should make it very clear in written instruction to the family that
they wish to have a Funeral Mass.
During the funeral liturgy, it is appropriate that the body of the deacon,
as with priests and bishops, be placed in the position which as a sacred
minister he occupied in the liturgical assembly, that is, facing the people50.

50. The Rites vol. 1. Rite of Funerals 38

Page 31

6 SELECTION & FORMATION PART 6
Selection and Formation

1 DISCERNING A DIACONAL VOCATION

Priests must be alert for good men of faith who would be able and
generous enough to respond to a diaconal vocation. We need to pray for
such vocations and then actively seek out potential candidates.

Any good Catholic man from thirty onwards who is capable of carrying
out his family duties, is in a valid and stable married relationship, is
financially self supporting51 and, in addition, is capable of giving the time
necessary to enter into the diaconal formation programme is potentially
a suitable candidate. It would normally be expected that the applicant
is already known to the parish priest through regular attendance and
involvement in the parish to an appropriate extent.

A current inability to offer much time in the short term to church work
(e.g. because of family and work commitments) need not be a deterrent
to identifying men who, given time and nurturing with smaller roles
within the parish might later consider the possibility of a call to diaconal
ministry. Sowing the seeds of a vocation is important for when work and
family commitments have diminished. Often candidates are those who
first considered the possibility of a diaconal vocation because the priest
or some other member of the parish community suggested it to them.
However, care must be taken not to impose the will or hopes of the parish
priest where no sense of vocation or later possibility of pursuing one is
felt by the man.

Anyone who feels that he may have a calling from God to undertake
the service of deacon of the Church should first discuss this with their
own parish priest. Normally, the express support of the parish priest is
essential. The parish priest or any other potential supporter must be
aware of the normal conditions for acceptance to begin training to be a
permanent deacon. These are given below.

51. A role of a permanent deacon is non-stipendiary.

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2 APPLICANTS SEEKING FORMATION TOWARDS DIACONAL ORDINATION 6 SELECTION & FORMATION

No one can claim the right to be ordained. His desire to be ordained
is never sufficient in itself; rather he must wait on the decision of the
Church.

The requirements for acceptance to begin the formation programme
towards ordination as a permanent deacon in Hallam are that an applicant
must:

A. Basics
a) be a baptised man who has been confirmed;
b) have been a Catholic for a minimum of three years;
c) be legally a permanent UK resident;
d) be at least 31 at the time of admission to the Formation Programme;
e) normally be no more than 65 by the time he is due for ordination;
f) enjoy good physical and mental health with no condition that would

impede his ministry;
g) be reasonably financially secure;
h) understand that permanent deacons who are employed or who have

been employed are bound by Canon Law to support themselves from
their own funds52, although the diocese will meet the costs of the
formation;
i) be a parishioner domiciled in the Hallam Diocese normally for at least 3
years;

B. Marital Matters
a) if single, have a settled stable life with a good reputation within the

community. He must understand that ordination would mean a life-long
commitment to celibacy;
b) if married, to have been validly married within the Catholic Church for
at least 3 years;
c) should his wife predecease him, be willing in normal circumstances to
remain celibate for the rest of his life;
d) have the full support and consent of his wife, her consent expressed in a
handwritten letter accompanying his application;

52. Canon 281.3

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6 SELECTION & FORMATION 2 APPLICANTS SEEKING FORMATION TOWARDS DIACONAL ORDINATION (cont)

C. Personal Qualities

a) above all, be a man of faith and prayer;

b) have the right intention – to model himself on Christ the Servant who
came not to be served but to serve;

c) be presently active and accepted within the Church and parish
community, showing good communication skills;

d) show evidence that he can fit in and work well with others;

e) show humility together with qualities of leadership, sound judgement
and understanding (1 Tim 3: 8-13);

f) be willing to make a life-long commitment to serve the Church;

g) be dedicated to our Lord in the Eucharist;

h) be orthodox both in belief and practice, and be willing to take the Oath
of Fidelity and make a profession of faith according to the formula
approved by the Apostolic See53;

i) be recommended by his parish priest or those who have worked with
him in parish activities;

D. Formation Requirements

a) be able to give the necessary time to both the formation programme
and the diaconal ministry without it being detrimental to his family or
working life;

b) have the necessary ability to complete the formation programme;

c) be willing to promise obedience to the bishop and his successors and be
willing to accept any pastoral assignment that may be given to him;

d) be willing to undergo psychological assessment as to his suitability and
to undergo all checks required by the Diocesan Safeguarding policies
prior to formation;

e) be willing to undergo a full medical examination.

During the formation programme his parish priest must be willing to co-
operate with the formation team in his training.

53. Canon 833

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3 SELECTION AND FORMATION 6 SELECTION & FORMATION

A. Application

Before going through the formal selection panel procedures, applicants
and (if they are married), their wives also, need to consider seriously the
step they are taking in offering themselves for service in the Church as
deacons. Hallam’s deacons’ formation team will make an initial visit to
the applicant and his wife, giving advice and suggesting helpful reading.
They will also offer both the opportunity to talk to some who are already
deacons and, for the applicant’s wife, to meet wives of other deacons.

The process of discernment will include gathering together all the
necessary information to complete an official application form, the
candidate being medically and psychologically assessed, and a review to
ensure there is no canonical impediment to the candidate being accepted.

When there are applicants wishing to be considered for formation,
a selection day will be arranged. Should the candidate be accepted,
he would join the Northern Diaconal Training Programme in the
September following, unless he or the panel chooses to defer the start
of the preliminary year of the formation programme until a subsequent
September.

The selection event follows the pattern established for some years at
Liverpool and involves a series of exercises, short interviews and brief
written work. The findings of those leading each event are pooled through
discussion at the close of the day. An on-line questionnaire adapted for
use in selecting aspirants against criteria set by the diocese is completed
by the applicant beforehand and assessed by a recruitment specialist.
These findings are pooled in discussing each applicant. Additionally, the
day includes a private interview with two professionals in psychology and
clinical psychiatry, who input to the general findings of the concluding
discussions. The main interview of the day is with a team including the
Director of Deacons.

Information arising from the selection process will remain confidential
and not used for any other purpose. Written material will be kept for the
period of their relevance.

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3 SELECTION AND FORMATION (cont)

A report from the selection day is sent to the bishop and an interview
arranged with the aspirant and his wife. If the conclusion of the selection
event and the bishop is that the applicant should not progress to
formation, it is the Director of Deacons who will inform the couple and
advise appropriate next steps.

B. The Northern Dioceses Diaconal Training Partnership (NDTP)

Six dioceses of northern England and
Wales have developed a formation
programme sharing teaching and
other resources and creating a
community of men undergoing
formation together. Key features
of the Northern Partnership for the
Formation of Permanent Deacons
are:

a) A four year programme consisting
of a preliminary year followed by
three years of formal studies and
closely linked to the expectations of
the Basic Norms for the Formation of
Permanent Deacons.

b) A programme of formation

delivered through “weekends” at

The logo of the Northern Dioceses Hinsley Hall, Leeds, consisting of

Deacon Training Partnership a Friday evening and complete

Saturday. The number of weekends

is to be six in each of the four years, including a spiritual retreat at the

end of the preliminary year.

6 SELECTION & FORMATION c) The pooling of teaching/input resources from across participating
Northern dioceses, drawn (for formal study modules) from suitably
qualified priests, deacons and lay people with relevant teaching
experience.

d) A close relationship between the home diocese and the programme,
with clear descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of each.

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e) The drawing together of students from participating Northern 6 SELECTION & FORMATION
dioceses to form a body of aspirants and candidates for the permanent
diaconate in line with the Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent
Deacons.

f) An academic standard of the programme designed to deliver at Level
Five (pre-degree diploma level/Foundation Degree level). All decisions
regarding the progress of a candidate struggling to provide course
work at this level remain with the home diocese.

g) Personal study supporting
taught modules between
“weekends” will be directed
by the programme. In
addition, students during
their NDTP studies also
complete a selection of
online modules from Loyola
Chicago University that lead
to a certificate in pastoral
ministry.

Whilst wives may accompany
their husbands through training provided within the home diocese, for
cost reasons, the weekends at Hinsley Hall are for the students without
their wives. A representative of the home diocese’s formation team will
be present with their aspirants/students at each “weekend”.

C. Responsibilities of the “Home” Diocese

The Northern Diaconal Training Partnership purposefully will not
supplant or supersede the role of the home diocese bishop and his
supporting formation team in the discernment of vocation or the
decisions on the progress of an individual aspirant or candidate.

The whole of the process of selection, interview and discernment of
vocation remain the responsibility of the home diocese. The Programme
will provide for the home diocese, at any time, feedback or a report on the
progress, involvement and achievement of any aspirant or candidate.

It is envisaged that aspirants to the diaconate, having completed the
introductory year of the Programme, shall complete selection processes

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6 SELECTION & FORMATION 3 SELECTION AND FORMATION (cont)

and advance to Candidature in the home diocese prior to or soon after
beginning the three years of formal studies.

Deacons are not employees of the diocese and so do not have rights
arising from employment law

D. The Hallam Diaconal Formation Team

The design of each of the four years of training includes elements of
teaching, reflection and experience to be delivered at Hinsley Hall or
within the home diocese through the diocese’s deacon formation team.
For example, the home diocese in the preparatory years is responsible
for introducing the aspirants to a variety of Catholic spiritual traditions
and ways of prayer; in the next year experience in observing and joining in
with an RCIA programme is expected with the student’s own reflection on
the experience. In order to deliver the required home diocese elements,
each diocese needs a small team to support their dioceses’ aspirants
and students. The formation team will be found in the Hallam Diocese
Yearbook.

E. The support of the Parish Priest in the Formation of a Permanent
Deacon

Whilst the central tuition at Hinsley Hall provides a wide range of
theological and other training, and the home diocese formation team
provides other aspects of training, it remains the case that much practical
experience and knowledge is best provided in the student’s home parish
and deanery. Examples of this would be observing and taking part in adult
catechesis (RCIA), a wide range of familiarity and practice associated with
liturgy and experiencing prayer and reflection within groups both as a
participant and, over time, as a leader.

Appendix 2 is a listing of the experiences that parishes are asked to
provide.

The Director of Deacons and his formation team will support a parish
priest in his necessary role in developing a parishioner candidate for
diaconate.

Page 38

During the four year formation, the potential deacon is instituted firstly 6 SELECTION & FORMATION
to Candidature (normally after the Preliminary Year of NDTP and during
his first year of formal studies). Institution as a lector takes place in the
second year of formal study and institution as an acolyte early in the
final year of study. A six month gap is required between the institution
as acolyte and ordination. These institutions normally take place in the
potential deacon’s home parish unless there is more than one to be
instituted, in which case the institutions take place in rotation around the
parishes involved. The bishop presides at the Mass of Institution on each
occasion.
Ordination to the diaconate normally takes place at the cathedral in the
summer months at the end of the fourth year of NDTP formation.

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APPENDIX 1

The Northern Diaconate Training Partnership
The Learning & Experience

PRELIMINARY YEAR

AT HINSLEY HALL OR THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING IN THE HOME DIOCESE
Experience to be provided
Main Modules Human/Pastoral Inputs
Exploring Catholic
Deacon and Servant Induction/introductions spiritual traditions and
ways of praying
God reveals Himself in Introduction to Pastoral
Scripture Ministry Basic listening and
counselling skills
Introduction to Theology Feedback discussions
Experience working in a
Introduction to End of Year Retreat [St. charitable context
Ecclesiology Beuno’s]
Support in finding a
spiritual director

STUDY YEAR ONE

AT HINSLEY HALL OR THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING IN THE HOME DIOCESE
Experience to be provided
Main Modules Human/Pastoral Inputs
RCIA in practice.
Old Testament Lectio Divina Involvement with adults
in RCIA context
Trinity and Christology Homiletics
Involvement in scripture
Eucharist study or lectio group

Christian Morality Practice in delivering
brief reflections in a
Church History group
(England+Wales)
Formation as an
Vatican II effective reader

Mariology

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STUDY YEAR TWO

AT HINSLEY HALL OR THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING IN THE HOME DIOCESE
Experience to be provided
Main Modules Human/Pastoral Inputs
Experience and
Creation and Eschatology Ministry Skills and reflection on catechesis
Catholic Social Teaching Strategies for the sacraments of
Christ and his Disciples initiation
Pinciples of Liturgy Catechesis
Observing and
Sexuality and Human Preaching at Baptisms preparing for the rites
Relationships of Baptism and funerals
Funeral preparation,
rites and preaching Familiarization with the
liturgical books
Homily practice
Preparation to be an
effective acolyte

STUDY YEAR THREE

AT HINSLEY HALL OR THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING IN THE HOME DIOCESE
Experience to be provided
Main Modules Human/Pastoral Inputs
Observing and
The Sacraments of Building Parish preparing the Rite of
Initiation Community Marriage

The Sacraments of Bereavement support Experience of and
Service reflection on Marriage
Marriage and preparation
Principles of Canon Law preparation for Marriage
Canon Law (especially
Chaplaincy and other The rites of Marriage relating to Marriage and
diaconal roles Pre-Ordination Retreat Holy Orders

Experience with people
through charitable
service and leading
prayer

Practicing delivering
reflections/homilies

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APPENDIX 2

Practical Parish Experience for Candidates to the Diaconate

1. DURING THE PRELIMINARY YEAR - AFTER FORMAL SELECTION

No specific actions within his home parish are required during the first
year on the NDTP programme which focuses on discernment. However,
the theme for the home diocese in the first year includes getting to know
about and experience different ways of prayer and different Catholic
spiritualities. Support from the parish in these areas would be welcomed
by the Formation Team who will provide some Saturday events for the
first year trainees of the diocese.

It is very important that the trainee finds and uses regularly a spiritual
director. Support from his parish priest in finding a suitable person would
be greatly valued.

It is also very important that potential deacons gain experience of those in
need, including active involvement with a charitable organization locally.

2. DURING STUDY YEAR ONE LEADING TO INSTITUTION AS LECTOR

Essential Activities

• practice as Reader at Mass;
• leadership of Morning and/or Evening Prayer in the parish if this occurs;
• attend adult catechesis (RCIA) as observer/participant not leading

sessions.
Desirable Potential Activities

• preparation of the Prayer of the Faithful;
• involvement in school or children’s Liturgies;
• leadership of a (non Eucharistic) liturgy - Stations of the Cross, Advent

or Lent reflective service;
• attend Parish Council meetings;
• get to know schemes used for sacramental preparation groups in their

parish.

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3. DURING STUDY YEAR TWO - LEADING TO INSTITUTION AS ACOLYTE

Essential Activities

• practice preparing the Altar for Mass and serve at Mass (including with
incense).

Desirable Potential Activities

• taking Holy Communion to the housebound or sick;
• presiding at a time of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament;
• presence at and assistance with, if possible, one of each of the following:

a Baptism, a wedding, a funeral Mass, funeral service, committal at the
graveside and funeral service at a crematorium;
• meetings with key parish individuals and groups;
• meeting with local funeral directors.

4. DURING STUDY YEAR THREE – LEADING TO ORDINATION

Essential Activities

• shadow the priest at meetings with couples preparing for Marriage,
parents wanting Baptism for their children and families arranging
funerals.

Desirable Potential Activities

• become familiar with the paperwork for the above, including details of
fees;

• gain appointment as an Authorised Person for Marriage;
• become involved in evangelisation, charitable activity and social

concerns;
• meeting individuals and groups in the parish and deanery;
• attendance at SVP, Justice and Peace, and similar meetings;
• attendance at deanery meetings and ecumenical ministers meetings.
Supporting the Parish Priest

The deacon formation team of the diocese would like to keep in touch
and support parish priests as they provide practical support for trainee
deacons. Parish priests with a trainee deacon are encouraged to keep
in contact with the Director of Deacons and use the support of the
formation team members.

Page 43

“How will we know when we have enough deacons?
When all the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable
are met.
When to gather the gifts of the church and take them to
the world and to gather the needs of the world and bring
them to the church, has become a habit.
When deacons, going back and forth, have worn down a
path between the altar and the gutter so that everyone
will see the link between the Blood in our chalices and
the blood in our streets.
When all people respond to the challenge to live, not in
the love of power but in the power of love.”

from a sermon given by Irma Wyman,
a deacon of the Episcopalian Diocese of Minnesota.