Office of Diaconate Formation
The Requirements To Enter Formation
1. Church Initiation:
All inquirers (men applying to enter diaconate formation) must be fully initiated members of the Catholic Church (i.e., baptized, confirmed, and have received Holy Communion). Further, all men who have participated in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) and have received full initiation into the Catholic Church must wait at least five years before applying for the diaconate.
2. Age:
The age of those men interested in applying to diaconal formation must be between 35 and 60 years old at the time of application.
3. Marriage:
All married inquirers should be part of a stable and loving Catholic marriage for no less than five years before making their application. (Any potential applicants who may be experiencing serious
difficulties in their marriage should postpone applying for the diaconate until those issues are completely resolved.) Their marriage must also be canonically valid, proof of which must be made by the presentation of a Catholic certificate. Further, all married inquirers must obtain the written consent from their wives before being admitted into Aspirancy Formation. Upon the death of the wife, a man will enter the celibate state for the remainder of his life.
4. Single Men:
At the time of the application, all single men who seek entry into diaconal formation must have been celibate for a minimum of 5 years and must remain celibate throughout their formation process and for the rest of their lives (remain unmarried). No exemption is granted for this rule; therefore, all single men must have a clear understanding of the celibate life they are called to live. An engaged man may not therefore apply to the formation program.
5. Financial Stability:
All inquirers should have sufficient financial and employment stability when they submit the pre-application form and throughout the entire formation process. In either case, the applicant may be asked to submit proof of stable employment. If a potential applicant is experiencing some form of hardship or lack of employment during the time of his admission process, he will be asked to postpone his application request and resolve his situation, before being considered for admissions into the program.
6. National Status:
All inquirers must be American citizens (native born or naturalized), permanent residents or possess an appropriate visa that allows them to be legally present in the United States. All inquirers must also possess a valid social security number before applying for Aspirancy. It must also be noted that all diaconal aspirants/candidates must have legal status in the United States before applying for admission into the program. Further, the diocese will not sponsor any potential candidates for immigration status.
7. Pastor's Recommendation:
All inquirers must receive the written recommendation of their pastors before attending a night of inquiry.
8. Parochial Involvement:
All inquirers must live within the boundaries of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, belong to one of the diocesan parishes and have a substantial record of parochial service before applying to Aspirancy Formation. A substantial record of service is defined as active involvement in the parochial life, ministries, or apostolic groups of his parish for a minimum of three years. Anyone planning on moving out of the Diocese should not apply to the Diocese of Brooklyn Diaconate program.
9. Educational Background:
All inquirers must have earned either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from an accredited institution (either in the United States or their native country). Degrees or transcripts obtained either in the United States or abroad must be submitted with their application.
10. Expectation:
It is expected that a minimum of 5 years of diocesan diaconal service will be given post ordination.
