Have You Ever Thought About Being a Permanent Deacon?

By Deacon Clarence Johnson

Applicants sought for new cohort in formation program

The order of deacons traces back to the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6:1-6). From the early history of the Church, deacons held a special place in the community, along with bishops and presbyters, and they continue to do so today. Undergirding the work of the permanent deacon is a three-fold ministry of Word, Liturgy, and Charity at the service of the people of God, in communion with the bishop and his priests.

To continue to grow the ministry of the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, Bishop James Golka recently approved the start of a new cohort in the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program. Applications are now being accepted from men who wish to be considered, and pastors are invited to nominate men who they believe are good candidates for the program.

Applicants who are invited into the formation program will be admitted to six months of pre-aspirancy (inquiry and discernment) beginning in January of 2027. Those invited to continue will complete a year of aspirancy (propaedeutic and discernment). Three years of candidacy follow for those invited to continue, ending with ordination in the late spring of 2031.

Nominees must be faithful Catholic men; be between the ages of 30 and 58 at the start of formation; be fully initiated Catholics for at least five years; in a valid and stable marriage of at least five years (if married); and be known to the pastor of their parish. Additional application requirements can be found on the diocesan website at: www.diocs.org/Offices/Office-of-Permanent-Diaconate/PDFP-2031-Applications.

Men who are interested in being considered for the program are encouraged to speak with their pastors as soon as possible to seek a required formal nomination. Those nominated must also have the support of their wives, if married.

Applications for the upcoming formation program will be accepted through November 2026. A rigorous application review and interview process will follow, leading to admission to the program.

A serious commitment by the man discerning a call to the vocation underpins the formation journey, as the four-and-a-half-year program includes a structured and rigorous curriculum of intellectual, pastoral, spiritual, and human formation. To address more specific questions, discerning men may reach out to Deacon Dan Tomich, Director of Permanent Diaconate (dtomich@diocs.org) or Deacon Clarence Johnson, Assistant Director of Permanent Diaconate Formation (cjohnson@diocs.org).

(Deacon Clarence Johnson is Assistant Director of Permanent Diaconate Formation.)