There are two forms or lifestyles for the Diaconate in the Church:
The Transitional Deacon is a seminarian who is studying for the Ministerial Priesthood.
This is the final year of study and ministry for the man who is journeying with God for priestly ministry in the Archdiocese.
The Permanent Deacon, is a man who has discerned the call to become active in the life and ministry of the church through a state of life that is "permanent". The person will not move beyond this state to the Ministerial Priesthood. We are blessed in our parish to have such a deacon in DeaconTodd Brower.
See below for Deacon Todd's thoughts on the diaconate:
Any man interested in this style of life may want to go to the Archdiocesan website for more information.
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate.
Given the importance that the ordination of a bishop, a priest, or a deacon has for the life of the particular Church, its celebration calls for as many of the faithful as possible to take part. It should take place preferably on Sunday, in the cathedral, with solemnity appropriate to the occasion. All three ordinations, of the bishop, of the priest, and of the deacon, follow the same movement. Their proper place is within the Eucharistic liturgy.
The essential rite of the sacrament of Holy Orders for all three degrees consists in the bishop's imposition of hands on the head of the ordinand and in the bishop's specific consecratory prayer asking God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and his gifts proper to the ministry to which the candidate is being ordained.
"Only a baptized man validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry. The college of bishops, with whom the priests are united in the priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ's return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible. Catechism of the Catholic Church
Contact Fr. Scott Wallisch at the Vocations Office of the Archdiocese of Kansas CIty in Kansas, http://kckvocations.com/ or reach him through Facebook or Twitter; or contact our own, Fr. Craig Maxim, frcraig@stannpv.org to begin the discernment process today.
The Serra Club organization supports all seminarians and priests through their activities and prayer.