"The deacon’s ministry is far-reaching. Deacons are ministers of the Church and thus, are not exempt from the missionary obligation of the universal church. The deacon’s ministry of service is linked with the missionary dimension of the Church, embracing the Ministry of the Word, the Liturgy, and works of Charity, which, in turn, are carried into daily life."
    - From the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States, 2004

Given the nature of the deacon’s ministry of service, discernment of a vocation to the permanent diaconate is always engaged in cooperatively with the Church. Men who express an interest in applying to the Diocese of Fort Worth for Permanent Deacon Formation must meet certain specific requirements involving basic studies in the Catholic faith, age, residency in the diocese, parish service, marital status, and consideration of their employment, marriage, and family life with respect to the intensity, length, and responsibilities of studies for the permanent diaconate.

Requirements for Individuals Considering Application to Permanent Deacon Formation

The following are some of the requirements for initial application to Permanent Deacon Formation:

• The Inquirer must complete the diocesan School of Lay Ministry Program or similar studies, as approved by the Formation Team;
• The Inquirer must be no younger than age 32 at the time he makes formal application to Permanent Deacon Formation; Inquirers over age 60 are considered on an individual basis;
• The Inquirer must be a resident of the Fort Worth diocese for a minimum of five (5) years;
• The Inquirer is a documented resident or citizen of the United States;
• The Inquirer must be currently active in and have a current history of service in a Fort Worth diocesan parish;
• The Inquirer, if married, is in a stable, valid Catholic marriage of five (5) years;
• If widowed or single, the Inquirer must be aware of the Church’s requirement of the promise of celibacy;
• If the Inquirer and/or his wife has a previous marriage which ended in divorce, annulment(s) must be completed, a Declaration of Nullity granted, and convalidation or sanation completed prior to making a formal application to Permanent Deacon Formation.
• The wife of any Inquirer must give written consent to her husband’s application; ultimately, the wife must give written consent for her husband to be called to Holy Orders;
• The wife of any Inquirer must consent to participate in all formation weekends and other activities (i.e., annual retreats, Days of Prayer, small group meetings, etc.) of Permanent Deacon Formation as required;
• The Inquirer and his wife, as well as the Formation Team, will take into consideration the age of children living at home and the effect of participation in formation on the marriage and family;
• The Inquirer and his wife, as well as the Formation Team, will take into consideration the health of the Inquirer and his wife, the time-commitment to formation, and the demands of academic studies and service ministry as they relate to their commitment to family and employment;
• The Inquirer must have a stable employment history and a currently stable job situation; he is able to support his family;
• If the Inquirer is a convert to Catholicism, he must be five (5) years beyond reception into full communion with the Catholic Church;
• The Inquirer must agree to a background check and completion of Safe Environment training.

The requirements for admission to deacon formation are not limited to the above listing. Other considerations enter into the 12-18 month discernment process of suitability for studies for the ministry of the permanent deacon.

Please Note:  Completion of the Light of Christ Institute or the Pope John Paul II School of Lay Ministry does not presume acceptance to apply for Permanent Deacon Formation. Application for Permanent Deacon Formation does not presume acceptance for studies. Acceptance for studies does not presume a Call to Holy Orders. The call to ordained ministry in the Catholic Church comes from God through the Church, which has the responsibility to determine if a vocation is truly present. An initial attraction or desire is submitted to evaluation by which the Church finally determines whether a person has a genuine vocation.

Contacts

Deacon Don Warner
Director of the Office of Worship
(817) 560-2452, Ext. 302
dwarner@fwdioc.org

Mail:
Catholic Center
800 W. Loop 820 South
Fort Worth, TX 76108

Individuals who are interested in subsequent formation classes who are not enrolled in the Pope John Paul II School of Lay Ministry should contact:

Rev. Carmen Mele, O.P.
(817) 560-2452, Ext. 262
cmele@fwdioc.org