Deacons must possess willingness to serve others

By Katie LeFebvre, Globe staff reporter
Posted January 9, 2003

Deacons play an important role in the church. They take on many different ministries that the priests of their parishes and the bishop ask them to do.

"What they did in the past was they selected successful businessmen, for the most part, who could afford to work for the church for nothing," said Ron Forrest, co-director of the diaconate. "It was essentially a volunteer program."

The diaconate was something that a man could participate in, if he could take the time off work to serve the church. Deacons are required to take classes over a four year stint and were asked to pay for them.

"When they had deacon meetings, even when I was in formation, I was asked during my formation interview if I could pay for my ordination reception," said Forrest. "Not only was I going to sacrifice time away from family, I was going to do it for nothing and pay for it."

That was what was done in the past. Since Forrest has become co-director, he has tried to change that image the best that he could to make deacons more representative of the people that live in the diocese.

"We've eventually come up with the fact that they can get financial assistance while they are in formation," said Forrest. "The bishop has issued his instructions to the pastors of the diocese as to what kind of men he is looking for."

The maximum age to enter formation is 61. The reason for that is it takes four years for formation and the mandatory retirement age is 70.

"We want to get a few years of service out of them before they actively retire," said Forrest. "Most of our deacons who reach 70, and there are several of them now, go on serving as long as they are physically able. We have several deacons now who are in their 80s."

Forrest hosts informational meetings for men so that they can better understand what becoming a deacon is all about. Last year he had a meeting night in Algona, Carroll and Sioux City and recruited men interested in studying for the diaconate.

"Most of the men in formation now are younger men who have families, who work a full-time job, who travel a distance to go to the classes on Saturday afternoons to become deacons," said Forrest.

Now their ordination reception and expenses that are incurred at formation are paid for. The only thing they have to pay for is an alb to be ordained in.

"We have one man who will hopefully be ordained this year, Louis Meiners from Dedham," said Forrest. "He has two more classes and he could be ordained as early as June 14."

There are seven men who are in year two of formation and three who are in year one of formation. Forrest also commented that he has plans to recruit again this year to find more young men.

Occupations of the men currently in diaconate formation vary - janitor, physician, businessman, dentist and an attorney.

"We have them from all ranges and manors of occupations," said Forrest. "I think that is good. It is reflective of the diocese we live in. What that tells you, I believe, is that it's a growing trend in the diaconate that we are becoming as diverse as the community that we live in."

The qualities that Forrest looks for in a deacon are humility and service to the church. He also looks for a man who is successful with family, career and willing to serve the needs of other people.

"This is the key ingredient of a deacon," said Forrest. "I need people who will willingly serve. That is what the bishop is looking for. He isn't turning them loose on the diocese to do their will, but to serve the needs of the diocese."

The bishop's had the final decision when it comes to a deacon being ordained. Bishop DiNardo takes a large responsibility in the selection process. The selection committee consists of people who have instructed them in the formation process such as Dr. Stephan Davis, Sister Michaela Galles, Father Armand Bertrand, co-director of the diaconate; Forrest, a pastor, Father Gerald Feierfeil, Msgr. Michael Sernett and the bishop.

The staff psychologist, Father Bob Condon, is also part of the selection process. Each person makes recommendations to the bishop about each candidate.

"The bishop makes the final decision," said Forrest. "Because, as he will tell you, 'I am the one who has to place my hands on them and ordain them.'"

The candidates do not apply until after they complete the Church Ministries program which is a two-year process. Then the men apply to the committee.

"It is quite an involved process to get all the information together," said Forrest. "We give them a decision before they have to be invited into their third year. At the end of the third year, the bishop interviews them. He issues an invitation to the fourth year."

The wife of the man must give her consent before her husband is ordained. The wife is also questioned during the interview by the bishop.

"She has to attend the interview and answer the questions satisfactorily that she understands what this is all about," said Forrest. "I think that is good because we feel like in the diaconate that the first vocation the deacon has been called to is that of matrimony."