Diaconate

Discernment for the Diaconate is a five year process beginning with a year of Aspirancy followed by four years in Candidacy.

The Archdiocese of Anchorage is in the planning stages for the commencement of a new formation class for permanent deacons to begin in September of 2010.

Traditionally, the relationship of deacons with priests and religious is complementary; together they form a communion of ministries. Firstly, the order of deacon is an ordained ministry. Graced by the sacrament of Ordination, the deacon proclaims by his very life the Church's call to serve the needs of others. Upon ordination, the deacon enters into new sets of relationships with his bishop, those with whom he ministers, the laity from whose ranks he comes and from whom he must be separated.

As an ordained minister, he becomes for the community a unique sign and instrument of what Jesus Christ is for the Church, and of what the Church must be for the sake of Christ - a servant. It is this "service" which characterizes the ministry of deacon, a distinctive mark from the ancient days of the Church (sea Acts 6). The deacon, by his ordination is a representative symbol of the inner-connection among the three great areas of the Church's life: word, sacrament and service.

More than 90 per cent of permanent deacons throughout the world are married, and through marriage they bring the experience and mutual sacrificial love of marriage to the service of the Church.

The love bond which deacon and wife have developed in their lifelong ministry to one another in the sacrament of marriage is the springboard of the married deacon's ministry to the wider community he serves. This nurturing and deepening mutual sacrificial love within marriage is the most important way the wife of a deacon becomes involved in her husband's public ministry in the Church.

The deacon's marital status also affects his relationships with the priests and religious with whom he ministers, and it is reflected in his preaching. It certainly becomes a factor which his bishop takes into account in providing ministerial appointments which are often to parish based ministries that most effectively utilize the special gifts that have been discerned during the deacon's formation over at least three years.

If you are interested in information regarding the upcoming formation program please contact:

Deacon Mick Fornelli
Archdiocese of Anchorage
(907) 297-7770
mfornelli@caa-ak.org

FRONT ROW: Kevin Woodvine, Mark Merrill, David Carey, Casey Campbell
BACK ROW: Steve Thomas, Bill Tunilla, Kurt Adler, Dave Van Tuyl, Thomas Franz

		FORMATION YEAR 1

		Class	Instructor	Location
2011	Sept. 16-18	Scripture / Biblical Interpretation	Candace Bell	HSC

	Oct. 14-16	Old Testament	Dcn. Felix	HSC

	Nov. 18-20	New Testament	Fr. Moore	Chancery

	Dec. 16-18	Church History I	Fr. Augustine	HSC

2012	Jan. 13-15	Sacramental Theology	Fr. Anthony	HSC

	Feb. 24-26	Homiletics Introduction	TBD	HSC

	Mar. 16-18	Liturgical Spirituality / Faith & Reason / The Mass	C. Bell/T. Green	HSC

	Apr. 20-22	Christology	Susan Jayich	HSC

	May 25-27	Ecclesiology: Church Models/Infallibility/Magesterium	Dcn. Felix	HSC

	June 22-24	Discernment Interviews Retreat	Committee	HSC

	Each weekend session (starting with October) will have a Friday night Toastmasters session facilitated by Julie Galligan.

	Friday evening classes with run from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
	Saturday classes will run from 7:00 am - 7:30 pm
	Sunday classes will run from 7:00 am -2:00 pm and will include mass

Front Row: Kevin & Eli Woodvine, Mark & Jeanie Merrill, David Carey, Casey Campbell

Back Row:Julie & Steve Thomas, Bill & Sherry Tunilla, Kurt & Joan Adler, David Van Tuyl, Thomas Franz