PROCESS OF DIACONATE FORMATION
VI. Aspirancy
There are three distinct but integrated paths for the formation of deacons: Aspirancy, Candidacy, and Post-Ordination. St. Francis School of Theology for Deacons is primarily concerned with the first two of these paths. Aspirancy begins when the inquirer successfully completes the Inquiry period. Academic and spiritual formation days are held two weekends a month during a normal academic year. Formation (for Aspirants and Candidates) consists of two weekends a month for nine consecutive months that typically begin at the end of August. There are two semesters to each academic year. Wives of married aspirants must attend spiritual formation days on first Sunday of the formation weekend each month. This requirement continues through aspirancy and candidacy.
During Aspirancy the aspirant is consider an applicant until he receives Candidacy, given by the Archbishop during the summer following the end of the Aspirancy year. During this period the applicant will be assessed for his suitability for the vocation of deacon by particular required documents, listed below, interviews with the Admissions and Scrutinies Committee (including the inquirer’s wife, if married), background investigation, psychological testing, relationship inventory, academic grades, and evaluations in the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral dimensions. At the end of the Aspirancy year the Director of Formation will receive two recommendations concerning the suitability of the aspirant to receive Candidacy: one from the Admissions and Scrutinies Committee and the other from the applicant’s pastor. The Director of Formation, using this information, will make a recommendation to the Archbishop. After his review the applicant is called to Candidacy. It must be emphasized that the most important component of Aspirancy (as well as all of formation) is the discernment of God’s will concerning a vocation to the diaconate. Spiritual formation, held on Sundays, is a critical component to discernment (and is covered below). The married aspirant must have permission from his wife to proceed to Candidacy. Below are the academic components and required documents of the aspirancy year.
Aspirancy
011 CCC Creed
012 Faith, Reason and Truth
013 Ministry of the Deacon
014 Introduction to Scripture
021 Contemporary Catholicism
022 CCC Morals
023 Introduction to Liturgy
024 Psalms
Common elements in Aspirancy:
• Effective communication skills (158)
• Multicultural perspective in formation (158)
• How to approach theological study from context of pastoral experience and ministry (158)
