A Permanent Deacon is described in the “Dogmatic Constitution – Lumen Gentium” as follows:

{29. At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, upon whom hands are imposed "not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service." For strengthened by sacramental grace, in communion with the bishop and his group of priests they serve in the diaconate of the liturgy, of the word, and of charity to the people of God. It is the duty of the deacon…, to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services. Dedicated to duties of charity and of administration, let deacons be mindful of the admonition of Blessed Polycarp: “Be merciful, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all.”}

• WORD: Deacons proclaim the gospel of Christ by lifestyle in words & deeds – with family, on the job, in the parish, and in the community.

• LITURGY: Deacons assist at the altar by serving in various liturgical/sacramental functions. Note: A deacon who functions only at the Altar – is not a deacon but an altar server with a speaking part.

• CHARITY: Deacons exercise the Corporal Works of Mercy.

• SERVICE: Deacons serve and support their Bishop, Pastor, Parish Body of Christ, and the Community as needs require. They do so from the heart with no expectation of financial
  remuneration or social-status elevation.

• BRIDGE: Deacons are often the bridge between the secular and the sacred especially in areas such as marriage, social justice, language, cultural diversity, integration, and
  evangelization.

• PARTNERSHIP: A deacon should be in partnership with the Bishop and his pastor as helper, assistant, collaborator, and friend.

• COMMITMENT: A deacon’s personal commitment should be: God, Family, Job, & Church. He must be able to maintain a reasonable balance remembering the Sacrament of Matrimony was received prior to Holy Orders. However he should not use Family & Job as an excuse to negate or lessen his commitment to Church and vice versa.

• TWO-FOR-ONE: While the wives will not be ordained, often they are very involved in the ministry, be it their own or sharing with their deacon husband. In order to ensure that they have an understanding of what constitutes diaconal ministry and the commitment being considered, their full participation in the formation process is essential.

• BLESSING: The diaconal ministry can be a wonderful – spiritual blessing for the Deacon, Wife, and Family.

Deacons are ordained by and thus serve the Bishop in those ministries and parishes where the need is most critical. While much of your ministry is at the parish level, many deacons also function at other ministries outside the parish as designated by the Bishop.

The pastor, along with the parish staff and parish council, should consider the needs of the parish as they relate to Diaconal Ministry both currently and for the future of the parish.

Deacons function in a variety of ministries of Worship & Liturgy, Pastoral & Spiritual, and Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation usually associated with the parish of assignment.

Worship & Liturgy:

• Sunday & Weekday Liturgies

• Baptisms

• Marriages

• Funerals, Vigils, Gravesides

• Quinceañeras

• Stations of the Cross

• Other Devotion & Prayer Services

Pastoral & Spiritual Life of the Parish:

• Evangelization, Hispanic Ministry,

• Social Justice, Prison/Jail, Charity,

• Sanctity of Life, Hospice, Welcoming,

• Sick Visitation, Ecumenical relations

Religious Education/Sacramental Preparation:

• Baptism, Holy Communion,

• First Penance, Confirmation,

• Marriage, RCIA,

• Adult Education, Youth,

• Children, Safe Environment

• Do I have a relationship with Jesus Christ?

• Do I have a visible and viable prayer and spiritual life?

• Am I committed to live out Gospel values of justice, charity and service?

• Am I in full communion with the Catholic Church, and have been so for at least five(5) years?

• Do I fully accept Church teachings?

• If married: Is my marriage and family life stable and happy? 

• Does my wife have a visible and viable prayer life?

• Have I prayed with my wife and discussed with her the impact the diaconal ministry will have upon her and our family? 

• Will my wife and I be able to attend monthly Deacon Formation Weekends (Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon); plus, time for homework, study groups (2 hours per month), social justice ministry (10 hours per month) and parish internship (6 hours per month) while maintaining a proper balance with family and job?

• Will my wife and I be open to possibly being assigned to another parish or diocesan ministry?

• If I am single or if my wife should die, do I understand my commitment to celibacy?

• Do I have an agreeable disposition and a pleasant/ friendly personality?

• Would I be open to interacting with people of another race, language, and/or culture?

• Have I discussed with my pastor the diaconal ministry?

• Will I be able to reasonably subject myself to the direction of the pastor and bishop?

• Am I currently involved in parish and community ministry?

• What skills do I believe that I possess that can be utilized in the life of the parish and to the benefit of the Catholic Diocese of Amarillo?

• Do I believe that I have a calling to the vocation of Deacon? 

• Has anyone from my parish community suggested that I may have such a calling?

• Do I understand that I must be gainfully employed and that diaconal ministry does not offer any financial compensation for my services?

• Do I have a basic working knowledge of English, spoken and written?

• Will I be able to respond to the rigor of college level work in diaconal/academic studies?

• Will I be open to new ideas, spiritual direction, and pastoral formation?

• Am I anticipating relocating outside of the Diocese of Amarillo within the next 10 years?

• Are there any impediments (see section 6) that might preclude me from Diaconal Ministry?
  
  

• Can. 1040: Those affected by any impediment, whether perpetual, which is called an irregularity, or simple, are prevented from receiving orders. The only impediments incurred, however, are those contained in the following canons 
• Can. 1041: The following are irregular for receiving orders: 

• You must have full support of your Parish Pastor.
   

• You must have a valid and current Email Address.
   

• You must be at least 30 years of age and not more than 59 years of age at the time of acceptance into the Deacon Formation Program.
   

• You may be single or married.
   

• You must be proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English.
   

• If married, you must demonstrate evidence of a stable marriage and sound family life. Your wife must fully support your entry into the formation program, and she must be willing to attend all weekend sessions.
   

• At least FIVE (5) years must have elapsed since annulment of a previous marriage and/or marriage to current spouse prior to acceptance into the formation program. If applicable, any and all child support payments must be current and/or paid in full.
   

• If divorced and not remarried, you must obtain an annulment prior to acceptance into the formation program.  In addition, you must fully understand your lifelong commitment to celibacy.
   

• You must be economically stable and self-sufficient.
   

• If you are a convert or returning Catholic, at least FIVE (5) years must have elapsed since you were received into full communion with the Catholic Church prior to acceptance into the formation program.
   

• You must have a mature spiritual and prayer life and be able to articulate your spiritual journey.
   

• You must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED in order to enter the Deacon Formation Program.
   

• You must be a documented resident and/or citizen of the United States. 
   

• You must be in good health. It is required that you have a physical examination within six months of the application date, and that a report from the examining physician be submitted to the Diaconate Office stating that you can meet the rigors of formation training and diaconal ministry.
   

• You and your wife must pass a criminal background history check.

• You must be free of  Canonical Irregularities/impediments to ordination (see section 6), as well as any prior behavior, which could prove to be scandalous or harmful to the diocese, parish, you or your family. 
   

• You will undergo an extensive psychological evaluation as conducted by a Diocesan approved psychologist (cost covered by the diocese). Your wife will undergo a lesser evaluation.
   

• You and your wife must be able to dedicate the time necessary to fulfill the formation requirements. It is a major commitment!

As an inquirer you must make your interest in the diaconal ministry known to your pastor. He must submit a letter (or the signed Inquirer Registration Form) endorsing and sponsoring you. No applicant is accepted without the pastor’s recommendation and full support.
 
The pastor will be your supervisor, mentor, and friend, and is to provide spiritual and emotional support for you and your wife.

While you should already be participating in parish ministry in some way, throughout formation, this participation will increase, as directed by your pastor.
 
Among these should include serving as a Lector, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, as well as Master/Altar Server. 
 
You should also seek to participate in other parish ministries such as visiting the sick, helping with funerals, teaching faith formation, etc.
 
Additionally, during your formation, you will be required to serve in a Charitable and/or Social Justice Ministry for a minimum of 10 hours per month.

Formal evaluations will be required from your pastor assessing your progress not only for entry into the program but also at various times throughout formation. There will also be regular evaluations by the Diocesan Formation Team.
 
Regular meetings between you and the pastor are required. 

Deacon formation is a 5½ year process, averaging approximately 60 hours per month; beginning in June of 2026.
 
It will cover the dimensions as listed in the “National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States” to include: 

• Spiritual Enhancement

• Human Enrichment

• Theological/Academic Understanding

• Pastoral Development

        (plus) Supervised Internship
 
Core theological courses will be conducted in both Spanish and English with many combined classes only in English. 
 
There will be mandatory on-line courses each semester. Regular access to a computer / Internet will be necessary.
 
The first and second semesters will meet one Saturday per month, at the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center (BDRC), from 9:00am until 3:00pm (subject to modification). 
 
The remaining semesters will require an overnight stay (for both, if married) at the BDRC on Saturday with classes continuing through late Sunday afternoon. 

• Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
   

• Does he have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
   

• Do you have a viable prayer and spiritual life?
   

• Does he have a viable prayer and spiritual life?
   

• Is he committed to live out Gospel values of justice, charity and service?
   

• Does he fully accept Church teachings?
   

• Is your marriage and family life stable and happy?
   

• Have you prayed together about this ministry?
   

• Will you be able to attend monthly Deacon Formation Weekends (Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon), as well as a 2 hour per month prayer/study group during the next 5 ½ years?
   

• Does he have an agreeable disposition and a pleasant/ friendly personality?
   

• Is he open to people of other cultures?
   

• Is he a person who is involved in parish and community ministry?
   

• Do you believe that he has a calling to the vocation of Deacon? 
  Has anyone from your parish community suggested that he has such a calling?
   

• Will your husband make a good deacon, and will he be able to reasonably subject himself to the direction of the pastor and bishop?
   

• Do you both realize that diaconal ministry does not offer any financial compensation for diaconal services?
   

• Core theological classes will be conducted in both Spanish and English with many combined classes only in English.
   

• How many hours is he away from home each month?
   

• Will he be able to allocate the necessary time for Deacon Formation (at least 60 hours per month) without negatively impacting his marital, family, and job responsibilities?
   

• As a deacon, his ministry will require that he assist the Celebrating Priest during Mass. Will you be comfortable with him not sitting next to you and the family during Mass?
   

• Has your husband discussed with you the impact of diaconal ministry will have upon you and the family?
   

• Are you open to your husband possibly being assigned to another parish or diocesan ministry?
   

• Have you discussed with your husband, from your perspective as an equal partner, in an open and honest manner, the impact the obligation to diaconal ministry will have upon you and your family?

• Canon Law allows Permanent Deacons to be married or single. Married deacons do not make a commitment to celibacy, unless the wife should pre-decease him, and then he would assume the commitment to celibacy and not be eligible to remarry.
   

• Have you had an opportunity to discuss with your pastor the diaconal ministry?

• Your husband must have your support for entry into the Deacon Formation Class. No married applicant is accepted without the full support of his wife.
   

• You must submit a letter of support for your husband, acknowledging that you understand the commitment both of you are making during the formation process.
   

• Part of your responsibility is to be not only his wife and confidant but also his mentor and aid as you provide spiritual and emotional support for him and vice versa.
   

• As the wife of a deacon, there is no obligation for you to have an assigned ministry.
  However, there will likely be opportunities for ministry available to you, whether on your own, or combined with your husband, which will prove to be a blessing. 
   

• You must be able to attend monthly Deacon Formation Weekends (Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon) and a 2 hour a month prayer/study group during the next 5 ½ years.

The Diaconate Director must be able to declare to the Bishop and attest, as to a man’s readiness for entry into the deacon formation program and, when and if the time comes, his readiness for ordination. 
 
This is in part possible when you, his wife, truly believe that your husband is ready and worthy of diaconal ministry, and you yourself are ready to be the wife of a deacon. 
 
 
Thank you for considering this ministry for your husband, you, and your family!