(CNS photo/courtesy The Criterion)
With the last two ordinations of the diocese’s ninth permanent diaconate class taking place Feb. 19, the Office of Deacon Formation has already scheduled inquiry sessions for class 11. What about class 10? It started its formation in 2019. The five-year training schedule of class groupings, called cohorts, overlap.
The diocese has scheduled four inquiry weekends, one a month, from March to June.
The inquiry weekend is for men interested in pursuing a possible call to the diaconate. It is aimed at answering questions about life and ministry as a permanent deacon and is mandatory for those seeking to apply for the formation program.
Each weekend involves a stay-over Friday to Sunday schedule at St. Stephen Diocesan Center and is limited to nine couples. Married applicants must attend as a couple. Here are the dates:
- March 12-14, registration deadline March 5
- April 9-11, registration deadline April 2
- May 14-16, registration deadline May 7
- June 11-13, registration deadline June 4
Applications to enter the formation program will only be accepted after attendance at an inquiry weekend.
Each diaconate formation cohort undergoes five years of intense classroom and hands-on experiences, generally one weekend a month, designed to prepare candidates for a life of pastoral service and liturgical responsibilities.
Here is a list of conditions required by the diocese of each applicant according to the permanent diaconate webpage on the catholichawaii.org website.
- Be a Catholic male
- Be a legal resident of the United States, living in Hawaii at least three years
- Be fluent in English
- Have a high school diploma, with the ability to do advanced academic studies
- Have a history of being active in parish or diocesan ministry
- Have the potential ability to represent the church in applying Gospel values to contemporary concerns and issues
- Be in full acceptance of Magisterial teachings
- Be of mature faith and of good reputation
- Be in good physical and mental health
- Be at least 30 years old at the beginning of the Aspirancy Year, the first year of formation
- Be no older than 60, though good health exemptions can be made
Married applicants must have a stable, Catholic marriage. Wives must give written consent for their husbands to participate and be willing to attend all formation weekends. Unmarried applicants must accept celibacy for life. A widowed applicant must wait at least three years after the death of his spouse.
To reserve a space on an inquiry weekend, go to catholichawaii.org/formation. For more information, email deaconformation2@rcchawaii.org, or call 203-6777.
