| Admissions
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Beginning in September 2004, the Diocese of
St. Catharines began to provide a formation programme for
candidates for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate in the
Diocese.
The main focus is to prepare candidates for
the ministry of service towards the dispossessed and disadvantaged,
those who have been pushed to the fringe of civil society
by such things as poverty, sickness, crime and age.
The ministry of the liturgy and the ministry of the word celebrate
and reflect the deacon's ministry of service.
Admission Procedures
The Diaconate Formation Program is
open to all men of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines
who meet the basic requirements. The candidate should:
1. Call the
Director of Deacons at the Catholic Centre, (905) 684-0154
2. Be prepared with his wife
to attend an interview.
3. Submit a
letter of recommendation from his pastor.
4. Undertake a tape-recorded
54-question interview.
5. Complete
the diaconate formation programme application form with the
required
dorcumentation.
6. Experience
a screening process of approximately six months, which will
determine
eligibility for acceptance as an aspirant into the initial
stage of
formation.
Specifically these are the stages of addmission
to the program:
TELEPHONE
INTERVIEW: Most inquiries are initiated in a telephone
call. Pamphlets and descriptions of the diocesan plan for
diaconate will be sent out. A record of the telephone interview
with pertinent information will be kept for future reference.
The applicant is requested to discuss the material with his
wife and call again to schedule a personal interview when
both can attend.
INITIAL
INTERVIEW: The applicant and his wife are invited to attend
a personal interview at which time the formation process and
the admissions process are explained. Any questions or concerns
by the couple are answered at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
Should the man wish to apply, a letter of recommendation
from his Pastor is required before the admissions process
can proceed.
DEACON PERCIEVER
INTERVIEW: This is a 54 question, tape recorded, low
stress interview, designed by Selection Research Inc. to identify
the man's talent and gifts for diaconate.
APPLICATION
FORM: Following successful coding of the Deacon Perceiver
Interview, an application form will be sent to the man.
REFERENCES:
Upon return of the completed application form, reference
forms are sent out to the three specified references.
DOCUMENTATION:
Supporting documents include; a recent Baptismal Form
with proof of Confirmation, Marriage Form, and confirmation
of degree or diploma status.
HOME VISIT:
A couple is engaged to interview the applicant and his
wife in their home and provide a formal report.
PSYCHOLOGICAL/MEDICAL
REPORTS: A psychologist engages the applicant in a series
of tests and the results are provided to the Chaplain of the
program. A medical report from the man's doctor is also requested.
ADMISSIONS
COMMITTEE: Following completion of all documentation
and testing, the Admissions Committee meets to assess the
suitability of the applicant for admission.
SCRUTINY
INTERVIEW: Upon acceptance by the Admissions Committee,
the applicant and his wife are invited for the final interview.
Each will be questioned independently about the possibility
of scandal in their lives and their full freedom to engage
the formation program.
Rev. 6/8/2004
The Admissions Committee will notify the candidate of its
decision.
Candidates accepted into the programme are
required to engage the formation programme for a period of
four years. In that period, they attend one weekend
a month from September to May at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre
in Niagara Falls for spiritual, academic and ministerial formation
under the direction of a qualified Resource Person.
In addition, they meet in small groups each week for prayer,
study, discussion and reflection on a specific topic.
During the summer, a course of reading, discernment and service
in areas of social concern is expecte |
