• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Deacon Willard Witherspoon blesses a boy during Mass Nov. 13, 2016 at St. Peter Claver Church in Baltimore. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

Feeling called? Learn more about becoming a deacon with virtual information sessions

November 17, 2020
By Tim Swift
Catholic Review
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, deacons, Feature, Local News, News, Vocations

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn
Archbishop William E. Lori hands the Book of the Gospels to Kevin Hostutler during the ordination of eight men to the permanent diaconate at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen May 6, 2017. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is looking for a few good men.

Starting Nov. 18, the archdiocese will host a series of information sessions for those considering becoming permanent deacons.

There are common misconceptions that deacons are just mini-priests or mega-laymen, but Father Michael Triplett, director of deacon formation for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said deacons serve a much larger, vital role for the church.

“They have a foot in both worlds,” Father Triplett said. “They are a cleric. They have a very particular calling and grace built up. But they also have families and they often have secular jobs. And so, they’re very aware of what’s going on in the world and the challenges that families face.”

Indeed, in promoting the information sessions, organizers cited Archbishop William E. Lori’s pastoral letter “A Light Brightly Visible,” which encourages greater community engagement by everyday Catholics.

But because deacons are so integrated into their communities, and they can’t move from parish to parish as priests do, recruiting future deacons presents a unique challenge.

“The hope is to continue to not only recruit deacons and call for deacons but to help diversify the diaconate,” Triplett said. “We want to develop strong deacons who are Spanish speakers, from our African-American communities, and from the urban and rural communities.”

Father Triplett said stability is the most important attribute for those discerning the vocation.

Many of the requirements for the diaconate reinforce this. Candidates must be at least 35 years old. Married candidates must be married for at least six years; the candidate’s wife must approve of his vocation. Candidates agree to become celibate if their wife precedes them in death.

A day after his 2019 ordination, Deacon Jose River-Rivera performs a baptism. (Courtesy Deacon Rivera-Rivera)

Single men are also eligible for the diaconate, but they cannot marry once they are ordained.

Candidates’ finances and primary careers should be in order, Father Triplett said. Deacons in the Archdiocese of Baltimore do not receive financial compensation for their ministry.

Practicing Catholics for at least the last six years, candidates must have received the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.

Becoming a deacon is typically a four-year process. It includes: assignments in parishes and institutions, such as prisons, hospitals and nursing homes; theological coursework predominately taught by the faculty of St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park; and the aspirancy period, a year-long discernment and reflection period.

During the aspirancy year, candidates attend 12 full-day sessions at St. Mary’s Seminary and University. This period encourages candidates to reflect on whether the demanding work of the diaconate is a good fit for them and their families.

Deacons serve the church in a variety of ways. They participate in the liturgy by proclaiming the Gospel and delivering homilies. They are able to baptize Catholics, witness marriages and conduct funeral services. Deacons also are often heavily involved in providing pastoral care to the faithful.

The diaconate was revived after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. The motivation behind this revival may surprise some Catholics. It was not to address some staffing shortage but to foster a greater connection between the church and the community.

The biggest proponents of reviving the diaconate were German priests who survived imprisonment in the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau.

“A lot of the priests felt like it crept up on them – the gruesomeness of the Nazi occupation and the destruction of the Jews,” said Father Triplett, who wrote his thesis on the origins of the modern diaconate. “If they had been more aware of that, they thought they could have been stronger earlier and prevented the disaster.”

Father Tripplett said deacons allow the church to be more true to what is happening in the wider world.

“The diaconate is one piece to open the door. We can’t cower inside the church to defend ourselves … we have to go out to the world.”

Information sessions will be held:

–   Nov. 18, 7 p.m., on Zoom

–   Dec. 5, 7 p.m., on Zoom

–   Jan. 7, 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City

–   Jan. 10,3 p.m. at St. Ignatius in Ijamsville

–   Jan. 27,6 p.m. at St. Bernardine in Baltimore

–   Feb. 10,7 p.m. on Zoom

Contact Kristine Arata at Kristine.Arata@archbalt.org to register for one of the sessions.

Email Tim Swift at tswift@CatholicReview.org

More on the diaconate

Over 20,000 permanent deacons serve church, but death, retirement bring overall number down

For deacon headed to Boston Marathon, running is a healing, spiritual encounter

Deacons are called to selflessness, men ordained at Jubilee Mass are told

Corpus Christi embraces new mission of campus, marriage ministries

Analysis: Permanent deacons are key to a ‘synodal missionary church’ — the synod needed them

Popular Elvis tribute artist spreads the faith as deacon in Newark Archdiocese

Copyright © 2020 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Tim Swift

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Hope rises from ashes for St. Rita parishioners

  • Archbishop Lori and Supreme Knight Kelly meet with Pope Leo

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • ‘Big Boss’ begins first day visiting Catholic Charities programs

  • Jurassic World Rebirth Movie Review: Jurassic World Rebirth

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop

Castel Gandolfo

After 12 years, locals welcome pope back to his summer home

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors
  • Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass
  • Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops
  • ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do
  • Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop
  • After 12 years, locals welcome pope back to his summer home
  • Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students
  • Synod office provides guidelines to help local churches, bishops implement synodality
  • Catholic Church holds firm on not taking stand on political candidates, despite possible IRS shift

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en