The last few weeks before ordination, what really happens!

I took the long drive today across the Causeway to the southshore of New Orleans to be with our 2012 class of diaconate candidates.  After a morning of prayer reflection and spiritual exercises, the afternoon belonged to homiletics.  Keep in mind, with this class, we are now just 6 weeks from ordination day.  We have 20 men in this class and they have worked very hard these past 5 years and have been preparing and delivering practice homilies for over a year now.  Most of us probably don't realize this: deacons, and priests for that matter, just don't wake up ordained one day and realize, oh, now I can preach.  Ordination comes when it comes, and a man is not ordained until he is affirmed by the Church, in the various clergy and others who are charged with their formation, and then, most importantly, hands are laid on him by the Bishop.  Preaching the homily does not come until ordination, and one further step, the faculties to preach as received by the Bishop.  For the Bishop to grant faculties to preach, he relies on his homiletics team, of which I am happy to serve along with several brother deacons and our diaconate director.  It may be possible with each ordaining class that one or more of the men do not immediately receive faculties to preach.  For a rare few, there may never be a desire or skill set to preach.  If this be the case, in no way does it make the deacon any less of a deacon.  In fact, given our primary charism as that of service(charity), a deacon is whole and complete in ministering that service.

As readers of this blog well know, I have said often that it may be a bit of a shame that most folks know of deacons because they see them on the altar only each Sunday.  While service on the altar is important, and it is because it is a public affirmation of service sacramentalized, the important work of the deacon happens in the nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, juvenile detention center, on boats and ships at the local port, at the soup kitchen or food bank and countless other places.  The deacon never aspires to be a sort of mini-priest; no, the deacon responds generously to the call to Holy Orders fully embracing the charism of service.

Now that our 2012 class is just 6 weeks away and finishing classes and practice homilies what is next?  For this class they have already been assigned their parish ministry but still await an assignment by the archdiocese at one of the facilities I just mentioned above.  To facilitate these dual assignments, the men are currently meeting with their pastors and fleshing out a working memo of understanding.  Additionally, in the coming weeks, they will also sign their various papers and committments as ordination day draws even closer.  Remember, however, what I mentioned earlier; no one is ordained until ordination actually occurs.

For me, and I am sure for these 20 men and their wives and families, it is a prayerful time.  It is a time of much reflection and a final opportunity to personally affirm and declare to the Church, yes, this is what God is calling me to and yes, unworthy though I may be, I answer with my yes.

If you have read my updates on this 2012 class of deacon candidates or if this is the first time, please pray for these men and their wives and for the diaconate community and the other folks responsible for their formation.