I learned this afternoon that one of my fellow Aspirants passed away Saturday. During Morning Prayer at the start of our second Aspirant Saturday yesterday we included him in our intentions, as we were aware he was undergoing a medical procedure that day. Today, leaders of our Formation team passed along the news of his passing.
"Welcome to the Diaconate Family," is the way my acceptance letter from the Archdiocese of Detroit back in July started. It continued, "Even as you begin a very intense year of discerning whether or not you have been called to be come a deacon, the diaconate community considers you to be our brother and sister in the diaconate family." Indeed it is a family, and this weekend our family suffered a loss.
Eternal rest grant unto him Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Peace,
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Aspirancy Formation Saturday - #1
Met with the other ten men and their wives at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. It is the first of many Saturday formation meetings, to be held the second Saturday of every month, with a "break" in July and August. The "break" is for our summer ministry work.
For our meeting this month most of the day was spent with each of the couples speaking for ten minutes on their background, how we got to where we are today, a concern we might have regarding diaconal discernment, and hopes that we hold. I am humbled by what I heard today. The faith, the spirituality, the love of the couples to one another, and the variety of ministries these men and their wives have fulfilled was just inspiring. When you are constantly bombarded with horrific acts man perpetuates on his fellow man during the evening news (or on one of the many 24 hour news channels), it was refreshing to hear of act of love, hope, and charity.
The afternoon we spent time going over how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. While there are numerous electronic versions of the Liturgy of the Hours, the formation team wants us to learn how to pray the Hours out of a book, either the four volume set, or the single volume, Christian Prayer. Our wives are encouraged to pray the Hours with us, so after the session Juanita and I stopped and picked up a copy of Christian Prayer for her. We took Juanita's copy with us to Mass to have it blessed. Fr. Vic was presiding. He had spoken to the Aspirants at the retreat in August, so having him bless Juanita's Christian Prayer was fitting.
Next Sunday we are attending the Rite of Candidacy which is being held at St. Isaac Jogues in St. Clair Shores. While our attendance is not mandatory, it falls under the category of "Also-Expected Events" it will be a good to witness this rite. A year from now I could be going through the Right of Candidacy along with the other ten Aspirants.
Peace,
For our meeting this month most of the day was spent with each of the couples speaking for ten minutes on their background, how we got to where we are today, a concern we might have regarding diaconal discernment, and hopes that we hold. I am humbled by what I heard today. The faith, the spirituality, the love of the couples to one another, and the variety of ministries these men and their wives have fulfilled was just inspiring. When you are constantly bombarded with horrific acts man perpetuates on his fellow man during the evening news (or on one of the many 24 hour news channels), it was refreshing to hear of act of love, hope, and charity.
The afternoon we spent time going over how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. While there are numerous electronic versions of the Liturgy of the Hours, the formation team wants us to learn how to pray the Hours out of a book, either the four volume set, or the single volume, Christian Prayer. Our wives are encouraged to pray the Hours with us, so after the session Juanita and I stopped and picked up a copy of Christian Prayer for her. We took Juanita's copy with us to Mass to have it blessed. Fr. Vic was presiding. He had spoken to the Aspirants at the retreat in August, so having him bless Juanita's Christian Prayer was fitting.
Next Sunday we are attending the Rite of Candidacy which is being held at St. Isaac Jogues in St. Clair Shores. While our attendance is not mandatory, it falls under the category of "Also-Expected Events" it will be a good to witness this rite. A year from now I could be going through the Right of Candidacy along with the other ten Aspirants.
Peace,
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Spiritual Director
Today I met with Msgr. John to see if he might serve as my Spiritual Director. As mentioned in an earlier post, we are to meet with our Spiritual Director on a monthly basis. While what is discussed between an Aspirant and his Spiritual Director is confidential, the Diaconate Formation team will check with the Spiritual Director to make certain the monthly meetings are taking place.
We talked for about 45 minutes about my past, why I think I'm being called to the diaconate, and about my prayer life. I asked him a few questions as well. At the end I asked if he would be open to serving as my Spiritual Director. He said yes he would. He encouraged me to keep a journal so that as thoughts, issues, or questions came up through the month I could write them down and bring that with me to share with him. We meet again in late October.
Peace,
We talked for about 45 minutes about my past, why I think I'm being called to the diaconate, and about my prayer life. I asked him a few questions as well. At the end I asked if he would be open to serving as my Spiritual Director. He said yes he would. He encouraged me to keep a journal so that as thoughts, issues, or questions came up through the month I could write them down and bring that with me to share with him. We meet again in late October.
Peace,
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Deacon Mentor & Spiritual Director
This morning I met with my Deacon Mentor, Deacon Jim. We got together for coffee and ended up chatting for 2 hours. It was a great conversation that touched on various topics associated with this Aspirancy year and Formation years to follow. Through the course of the conversation I got a good sense that I was speaking with someone who is a lot like me, background, as well as current life commitments. I think it will be very beneficial to have a mentor who is not retired and is still dealing with the daily aspects of working and serving as a deacon.
I've made arrangement to meet with a priest from a nearby parish to be my spiritual director. Unlike the Deacon Mentor who is assigned by the Formation Team, selection of a spiritual director is up to both the priest and the Aspirant. They both have to be comfortable with each other. The priest I'm meeting is someone with whom I am familiar as he celebrated Mass a few times at the former St. Colman. More on that meeting later.
Peace,
I've made arrangement to meet with a priest from a nearby parish to be my spiritual director. Unlike the Deacon Mentor who is assigned by the Formation Team, selection of a spiritual director is up to both the priest and the Aspirant. They both have to be comfortable with each other. The priest I'm meeting is someone with whom I am familiar as he celebrated Mass a few times at the former St. Colman. More on that meeting later.
Peace,
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Aspirancy Retreat
Aspirant Retreat, another early milestone in Formation where Juanita and I spent the weekend at Capuchin Retreat in Washington, MI with 10 other Aspirant couples. As Juanita and I learned this weekend, technically I am not in Formation at this time. This first year, as an Aspirant, I am going through a structured discernment. Formation is for Candidates and begins the second year.
We are encouraged now to begin saying Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. This is required of deacons. During the first several Aspirancy Saturdays, the second Saturday of the month, the Formation Team will be helping us learn how to say these prayers - using the Brievary, and not an electronic version. Having been saying these prayers more or less since 2011, I certainly understand the need for instructions on how to flip between various sections. Feasts for saints can quickly become an exercise in ribbon management! More on that another time.
We are were also instructed to end any ministry work we perform with our respective parishes. I alluded to this in an earlier entry. Part of the reasoning for this is associated with time management. With the start of mandatory Saturday meetings and two classes a semester at the seminary, the workload, particularly for someone who is not retired, can be overwhelming. Add to that meeting with a spiritual director monthly, and meetings with a Deacon Mentor at least every quarter, you'd be hard pressed to have time to properly prepare and fulfill other ministry roles.
Friday evening was primarily check-in, welcoming and introductions, followed by some short presentations covering the history and renewal of the diaconate. Check-in was interesting in that we were given a room number, no room key. We went to our room pondering why there were no room keys. But then it clicks. We are at a spiritual retreat center, where you would hope we were all obeying the 7th Commandment.
The room was quite simple, two single beds, each with a plain night stand, and a small desk in the corner. The bathroom was equally simple, with a sink, toilet, and shower stall that was no larger than the old phone booths. There was no phone, no television, no distractions.
Saturday was a full day, beginning with Morning Prayer at 7:30, wrapping up at 9:00 that evening with social time. There were four presentations through the day, followed by Mass, dinner and a fifth presentation. There was a period of reflection after the first four presentations during which we were encouraged to go out onto the grounds of the retreat center and spend some quiet time meditating on what was covered in the presentation.
Sunday we received our Aspirancy Handbook and viewed a presentation that covered the materials within the handbook. We were given a list of priests as prospective spiritual directors with instructions to have arranged to have a spiritual director by November. We were also told that we would be assigned a Deacon Mentor, with whom we should meet quarterly. Meetings with our spiritual directors are confidential, while meetings with our mentors are less so. The mentors will be asked to provide an assessment of the presence of a vocation and our readiness for Candidacy and formation.
The retreat concluded with the commissioning of all the Aspirants, and a reminder of our first Aspirancy Saturday on September 14th, where, with our wives, are to give a 15 minute presentation about ourselves.
All-in-all, it was a wonderful weekend. We met equally wonderful and spirit-filled couples, both within our group of Aspirants, as well as Candidates and their wives. And not to sound like we are rushing things, but we are looking forward to our next couple's retreat in January.
Peace,
We are encouraged now to begin saying Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. This is required of deacons. During the first several Aspirancy Saturdays, the second Saturday of the month, the Formation Team will be helping us learn how to say these prayers - using the Brievary, and not an electronic version. Having been saying these prayers more or less since 2011, I certainly understand the need for instructions on how to flip between various sections. Feasts for saints can quickly become an exercise in ribbon management! More on that another time.
We are were also instructed to end any ministry work we perform with our respective parishes. I alluded to this in an earlier entry. Part of the reasoning for this is associated with time management. With the start of mandatory Saturday meetings and two classes a semester at the seminary, the workload, particularly for someone who is not retired, can be overwhelming. Add to that meeting with a spiritual director monthly, and meetings with a Deacon Mentor at least every quarter, you'd be hard pressed to have time to properly prepare and fulfill other ministry roles.
Friday evening was primarily check-in, welcoming and introductions, followed by some short presentations covering the history and renewal of the diaconate. Check-in was interesting in that we were given a room number, no room key. We went to our room pondering why there were no room keys. But then it clicks. We are at a spiritual retreat center, where you would hope we were all obeying the 7th Commandment.
The room was quite simple, two single beds, each with a plain night stand, and a small desk in the corner. The bathroom was equally simple, with a sink, toilet, and shower stall that was no larger than the old phone booths. There was no phone, no television, no distractions.
Saturday was a full day, beginning with Morning Prayer at 7:30, wrapping up at 9:00 that evening with social time. There were four presentations through the day, followed by Mass, dinner and a fifth presentation. There was a period of reflection after the first four presentations during which we were encouraged to go out onto the grounds of the retreat center and spend some quiet time meditating on what was covered in the presentation.
Sunday we received our Aspirancy Handbook and viewed a presentation that covered the materials within the handbook. We were given a list of priests as prospective spiritual directors with instructions to have arranged to have a spiritual director by November. We were also told that we would be assigned a Deacon Mentor, with whom we should meet quarterly. Meetings with our spiritual directors are confidential, while meetings with our mentors are less so. The mentors will be asked to provide an assessment of the presence of a vocation and our readiness for Candidacy and formation.
The retreat concluded with the commissioning of all the Aspirants, and a reminder of our first Aspirancy Saturday on September 14th, where, with our wives, are to give a 15 minute presentation about ourselves.
All-in-all, it was a wonderful weekend. We met equally wonderful and spirit-filled couples, both within our group of Aspirants, as well as Candidates and their wives. And not to sound like we are rushing things, but we are looking forward to our next couple's retreat in January.
Peace,
Sunday, July 14, 2013
One Call to Serve Comes to an End to Prepare for Another
Two years ago during an information meeting regarding the Permanent Diaconate Juanita and I learned that a candidate in the formation program is required to cease all ministry work within their parish. They are not to continue to serve on any councils, to serve as a lector, an usher, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, etc., The reason for this is to allow the candidate to focus their mind and efforts on formation. I suspect that this aspect of formation will be covered in an upcoming Apirancy Retreat and Orientation. With that in mind, today could have be my last time serving as a Reader for a while.
This "restriction" seems counter intuitive, considering a main aspect about being a deacon is serving, but I am certain there are good reasons for this. In the meantime, Juanita and I will join the other members of St. Fabian and celebrate the Eucharist.
In further preparation for our upcoming retreat and orientation, which runs from a Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, Juanita and I visited a number of dog boarding facilities. We are having to deal with boarding our 7 year old Chocolate Lab, Deacon, for the first time in many years. Juanita is rightfully particular about where Deacon will stay because she spends a tremendous amount of time and energy keeping his allergies under control. This includes preventing skin infections by giving Deacon weekly baths and allergy shots. It can be a thankless job until someone tells her how beautiful Deacon's coat is, or that they would be hard pressed to tell he had allergies.
As for the Formation Program itself, here is some information provided by the Archdiocese of Detroit. As noted in an earlier post, I have been accepted into the aspirancy year of formation.
This "restriction" seems counter intuitive, considering a main aspect about being a deacon is serving, but I am certain there are good reasons for this. In the meantime, Juanita and I will join the other members of St. Fabian and celebrate the Eucharist.
In further preparation for our upcoming retreat and orientation, which runs from a Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, Juanita and I visited a number of dog boarding facilities. We are having to deal with boarding our 7 year old Chocolate Lab, Deacon, for the first time in many years. Juanita is rightfully particular about where Deacon will stay because she spends a tremendous amount of time and energy keeping his allergies under control. This includes preventing skin infections by giving Deacon weekly baths and allergy shots. It can be a thankless job until someone tells her how beautiful Deacon's coat is, or that they would be hard pressed to tell he had allergies.
As for the Formation Program itself, here is some information provided by the Archdiocese of Detroit. As noted in an earlier post, I have been accepted into the aspirancy year of formation.
Admission into formation occurs through two distinct but unified processes: Acceptance into the aspirant path and admittance into the candidate path in diaconal formation. With the acceptance of the applicant into aspirant formation, the admission process continues with an assessment of readiness for entrance into the candidate path in formation. This phase of discernment extends throughout the entire aspirant formation process, thereby allowing ample opportunity for personal observations, dialog, interview, and additional assessment of each aspirant.
The path to ordination is a four year process where the expectation to complete the aspirant path is one (1) year and the expectation to complete the candidate path is three (3) years. In addition to academic studies, the formation program is composed of a variety of components: Formation Days, Field Ministry, Retreats, Spiritual Direction, Mentoring, and participation in a variety of Archdiocesan functions. All are essential in the formation of the whole individual and as such, active participation is mandatory. (Archdiocese of Detroit Office of the Permanent Diaconate "The Discernment of the Call, An Inquirer's Guide for Men Discerning the Call to the Permanent Diaconate, p. 25)
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Acceptance
Nearly 30 years ago I received acceptance to my first vocation as a husband when I asked Juanita to marry me and she said "Yes!" Our year-long engagement helped us prepare not only for the wedding, but more importantly, life together as husband and wife. It would be foolish to say that our lengthy engagement (it certainly seemed lengthy at the time) prepared us for everything a married couple might face together, but in retrospect, it was time well spent.
Yesterday, I received a "Yes" to a possible second vocation, that of a Permanent Deacon. Technically, as the letter from the Office for Clergy and Consecrated Life for the Archdiocese of Detroit states, I "have been accepted into the Aspirancy year of formation for the Permanent Diaconate."
To say this "Yes" is a bit more formal than Juanita's "Yes" to my proposal for marriage would be an understatement. Regardless, similar to Juanita's acceptance, this acceptance starts what could be a four-year engagement. God willing, the engagement would culminate in a Sacrament similar to the Sacrament of Marriage, that being the Sacrament of Holy Orders - Ordination as a Permanent Deacon.
While in the end I alone (in a manner of speaking) would receive this Sacrament, because of the magnitude of this commitment, the engagement - formation program - will involve both Juanita and I. A weekend retreat and orientation with other Aspirants and their wives early next month kicks things off. Now, in addition to the Intellectual Formation that started with the prerequisite classes I have been taking at Sacred Heart, Spiritual, Human, and Pastoral Formation will begin.
I would be remiss to not include a few "Thank you's" in this transitional phase from the Application process to Formation. To Jan, Dan, and Jim for their letters of recommendation - thank you. Likewise, thank you to the late Fr. Norbert and Fr. Jeff for their pastoral support. Thank you as well to Deacon Jene for helping to get the application ball rolling again last December when Juanita told me to follow my heart. To my parents, Jim and Sandy, for all they have done throughout my life, leading me to this moment. Finally, to Juanita, who has been by my side, and was instrumental in helping me hear and act on this calling. I thank God that you are in my life. Without all of your involvement, prayers and doing God's will, this would not be possible.
To wrap up this post, as a prayer for Juanita and I, I would like to paraphrase the closing included in the acceptance letter. I would humbly ask readers of this blog periodically say this prayer for us as well.
"May God's Spirit be with us as we begin this journey in His service. May His Spirit give us the knowledge, wisdom, and discernment that we will need to come to know His will for us. Amen."
Peace,
Yesterday, I received a "Yes" to a possible second vocation, that of a Permanent Deacon. Technically, as the letter from the Office for Clergy and Consecrated Life for the Archdiocese of Detroit states, I "have been accepted into the Aspirancy year of formation for the Permanent Diaconate."
To say this "Yes" is a bit more formal than Juanita's "Yes" to my proposal for marriage would be an understatement. Regardless, similar to Juanita's acceptance, this acceptance starts what could be a four-year engagement. God willing, the engagement would culminate in a Sacrament similar to the Sacrament of Marriage, that being the Sacrament of Holy Orders - Ordination as a Permanent Deacon.
While in the end I alone (in a manner of speaking) would receive this Sacrament, because of the magnitude of this commitment, the engagement - formation program - will involve both Juanita and I. A weekend retreat and orientation with other Aspirants and their wives early next month kicks things off. Now, in addition to the Intellectual Formation that started with the prerequisite classes I have been taking at Sacred Heart, Spiritual, Human, and Pastoral Formation will begin.
I would be remiss to not include a few "Thank you's" in this transitional phase from the Application process to Formation. To Jan, Dan, and Jim for their letters of recommendation - thank you. Likewise, thank you to the late Fr. Norbert and Fr. Jeff for their pastoral support. Thank you as well to Deacon Jene for helping to get the application ball rolling again last December when Juanita told me to follow my heart. To my parents, Jim and Sandy, for all they have done throughout my life, leading me to this moment. Finally, to Juanita, who has been by my side, and was instrumental in helping me hear and act on this calling. I thank God that you are in my life. Without all of your involvement, prayers and doing God's will, this would not be possible.
To wrap up this post, as a prayer for Juanita and I, I would like to paraphrase the closing included in the acceptance letter. I would humbly ask readers of this blog periodically say this prayer for us as well.
"May God's Spirit be with us as we begin this journey in His service. May His Spirit give us the knowledge, wisdom, and discernment that we will need to come to know His will for us. Amen."
Peace,
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