One of the newly ordained dropped me a note about this today. It happened on Saturday. The Catholic Messenger had some details last week:
Twelve men will be ordained to the permanent diaconate and two men to the transitional diaconate for the Diocese of Davenport during Mass July 13 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Permanent deacons are men not planning to be ordained to the priesthood while transitional deacons are preparing for the priesthood. Because of the number of deacons being ordained, attendance is by ticket only. Deacon Frank Agnoli, director of deacon formation, said the last class to be ordained to the permanent diaconate was in 2002. Conversations about forming a new diaconate class began after the arrival of Bishop Martin Amos in late 2006. The U.S. bishop’s document “National Directory for the Formation, Life and Ministry of Permanent Deacons in the U.S.” served as a guiding document. “It was a new blueprint for dioceses,” Deacon Agnoli said. In August 2007, during the first week of Sister Joan Lescinski’s presidency at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, the diocese and university began discussing the academic formation of future deacons. The two entities signed a partnership Jan. 15, 2008, for the provision of academic formation for future deacons. Deacon Class VI began its year of aspirancy in 2008 to discern members’ capability and readiness to be nominated to the bishop for acceptance as candidates for diaconal ordination. Four years of candidacy followed. The newly ordained deacons will participate in post-ordination formation from 2013-16.
Read more. And congratulations, brothers! Ad multos annos!
And today we celebrate...