Principles

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THE PERMANENT DEACON, ORDAINED FOR A DISTINCT MINISTRY OF SERVICE TO THE CHURCH, in the transmission of the gospel, the celebration of the sacraments, and in the Church's ministry to the poor and the marginalized,

1. Must demonstrate charisms of Christian service and collaborative and spiritual leadership.
2. Will be a professionally educated minister with status equivalent to the Pastoral Associate.
3. Will experience a formation program that is flexible to the needs of the Church and to himself.
4. Will have a strong theological formation oriented to ministry as outlined in the 1984 PERMANENT DEACONS IN THE UNITED STATES: GUIDELINES ON THEIR FORMATION AND MINISTRY©.
5. Will journey towards psychological, psychosexual, and spiritual maturity.
6. Will demonstrate competencies in diversity sensitivity (cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, economic status).
7. Will participate in continuing education and spiritual formation after ordination.
8. Will have a specialized part-time or full-time pastoral position, paid or unpaid.
9. Will participate in academic courses/workshops directed to skillful pastoral practice: liturgy, homiletics, canon law, social justice.
10. Will assist in the discernment and development of his own particular talents and gifts.
11. Will participate in diaconal community and individual spiritual formation.