In Province One, a school has
been developed in Massachusetts that has opened its doors to those who are
called to be deacons throughout the Province. Bishop Shaw has said that
he wants to be open to helping others move along in the formation of their deacons.
At the present time, there are 12 students in process, seven from
Massachusetts, two from New Hampshire and three of them are from the Diocese of
Rhode Island. Jim Kelleher, Grace Swinski and Ed Dean represent Rhode
Island as students in this new collaborative effort. They attend weekend
classes once a month and engage in a community and prayer life that is designed
to bring them all together for learning and spiritual development.
The formation of deacons has
taken on a variety of faces throughout its 30 years in the Diocese of Rhode
Island. Deacons have been ordained here under different schools of
thought and practice. Since its beginning, there have been three bishops
involved in the process, and each has branded the diaconate in their own
particular way. And as the diaconate in Rhode Island has continued to
grow and develop, such has also been the case throughout Province One (New
England), and, in fact, for the national church as a whole. We struggle
with who a deacon is, why they are called into service and how to educate and
equip them for their future role in the church and the world.
Deacon students in the Massachusetts program, with Archdeacons Grinnell & Zifcak
When asked, Bishop Nicholas Knisely had this to say about the new opportunity for our Rhode Island deacon students:
“As three dioceses in Province 1 are in the process are revitalizing their diaconal ministries, the Dioceses of New Hampshire and Rhode Island have been welcomed into the existing formation program of the Diocese of Mass. This is happening at the same time that a working group is being formed to find ways that all the Province 1 dioceses will find common ground regarding diaconal formation.
There are a number of reasons that I'm excited about this. Chief among them is that it allows us to start immediately forming new deacon classes here in Rhode Island, and will soon bring new energy and ministry to the diocese as a whole. It also allows us to work with other dioceses in New England toward finding a common vision and understanding of what diaconate means in the 21st century. As this vision emerges, all the bishops are hoping that it will create a network of deacons that will naturally look for ways that we can all coordinate ministry across diocesan lines as appropriate. Third it brings us a great deal of resources for formation, both in terms of class work and community that we simply wouldn't be able to do by ourselves here in Rhode Island.
Stay tuned about all
of this. I'm hoping that Rhode Island will again be in the forefront working on
the creation of new shared materials for our Province, and God willing, for the
wider Church.”
The Venerable Pat Zifcak is the archdeacon in Massachusetts who oversees deacons-in-formation, so she is entirely involved in this diocesan program. The archdeacon says that the program started about 15 years ago, and that Bishop Shaw began his journey of development of this program by looking at the program that was in place in Rhode Island. There were conversations with the Canon to the Ordinary, Julia Slayton, and soon a program for deacons was envisioned.
The
program today is very similar, with minor changes, and it has continued to be
very strong, according to the archdeacon, right up to the present. There are currently about 37 deacons in
Massachusetts, and all except those who came after ordination from other
dioceses have been ordained after completing this program.
Archdeacon Pat
In Massachusetts, a
period of discernment begins the process for those who feel called into the
diaconate. During that time, the
aspirant meets with their congregation and clergy, and also engages in a
program meant to clarify to what ministry (laity, priest or deacon) he/she is
being called. The second phase is to
meet with the bishop, Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry (COM), to
further discuss and clarify. Also, there
are conferences, followed by applications being sent in August each year. By September, the subcommittee set by the COM
makes their decisions, in November interviews are held and postulants are
notified before Christmas about entering the program. The Rhode Island applicants would, of course,
go through this part of the program in-house in our Diocese.
Preparing for dinner and sharing conversation with the deacon students
The
program is a three year cycle and entry points are in September each year. The students and staff gather for their
weekends at the convent of the Sisters of St. Anne in Arlington, where they are
supported, encouraged (and fed!) by the sisters while they are there.
The Sisters of St. Anne made a wonderful dinner for us!
For
more information on discerning a call to the diaconate, speak to your parish
priest and ask how to proceed. You may
also call the Bishop’s office and ask for a brochure called, “Diocesan Program
for Diaconal Formation.” This brochure
outlines in detail the structure of the program and gives good insight into the
Massachusetts program. As always, deacons throughout our diocese are very happy
to sit and answer questions if you are simply looking to inquire into what our
deacons in Rhode Island are doing. And
of course, follow this blog to "meet" the deacon students and deacons in Rhode
Island, see what they are doing and where they are located.
I
would like to thank the Sisters of St. Anne and the staff and students who
welcomed me, along with the Archdeacon from Rhode Island, The Venerable Janice
Grinnell to their January weekend. We
enjoyed the opportunity to meet the postulants and their supportive staff.
