ARTICLES

Deacon aspirants and wives meet

By Steve Neill
Of The Catholic Virginian

As the Diocese of Richmond seeks to expand the number of deacons in ministry, 61 men and 59 wives participated in the recent Vicariate meetings at which aspirants to the diaconate were invited to continue discernment.

Deacon Robert Ewan, Assistant Vicar for Clergy, told The Catholic Virginian that the first meeting Nov. 27 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Salem drew 10 couples from the Western Vicariate. There were 29 aspirants at the Central Vicariate meeting at St. Mary’s in Richmond Nov. 28, and 22 at the Eastern Vicariate meeting at St. Mark’s, Virginia Beach, Nov. 29.

“The purpose of the initial meetings was to hear the expectations of the aspirants and their wives and to answer their questions,” Deacon Ewan said.

“It was great,” he continued. “The exchange and questions were meaningful. They were really looking for a role of service in the Church.”

While most permanent deacons are married, men who are admitted to candidacy and are not married are informed that they are not free to marry after they are ordained. A permanent deacon must be at least 35 at time of ordination, but may begin formation earlier. The formation period normally takes three to four years.

Deacon Ewan and his wife, Karin, were at all three meetings. The presence of another deacon and his wife from the particular Vicariate was also an important aspect of the regional meetings. Deacon Mike and Sue Ellerbrock of the Western Vicariate attended that meeting. Christopher and Nancy Malone for the Central Vicariate attended that meeting as did John and Chris Kren for the Eastern Vicariate meeting.

“The diaconate community won’t really thrive without the involvement of the wives,” Deacon Ewan asserted.

“The wives are not there just to support the aspirants. They’re a vital part of the exchange of ideas, questions and aspiration for growth in the faith,” he added.

Deacon Ewan, who was ordained to the diaconate in 1999, said he would not be able to pursue his vocation to the level he does without the support of his wife.

“There is a joint commitment,” Mrs. Ewan said. “If you don’t have the support of your partner, it’s difficult.

“Often the service to the diaconate will take him away from you for a bit, but you can also be a big part of what’s happening and be involved in the service to the community.”

There were 130 men who inquired into the aspirancy phase of the next deacon formation program and slightly fewer than half were invited to participate. All were expected to complete a spiritual autobiography and pray with their wives about the long-term commitment they were contemplating.

A panel of 12, including priests and deacons who are members of the deacon personnel committee, reviewed the 85 spiritual autobiographies.

“Around 30 wrote back that this wasn’t the right time for them to pursue the diaconate,” Deacon Ewan said. In most cases, he said it was because of a recent major event such as recently entering the Church which indicated that now was not the right time.

“It’s always best to be grounded for a while before making a lifetime commitment that affects both the deacon and his wife,” Deacon Ewan said.

A second meeting in each regional Vicariate is scheduled for Jan. 22, 23, and 24. At this time the aspirants will learn of the expectations and obligation they will have to fulfill.

There will be a third meeting in April in which the aspirants and their wives will have an invitation “to the prayer life and community life of the diaconate.”

“At that point — from those still standing — we will invite aspirants to apply for the diaconate,” Deacon Ewan said. “They will need references, have to undergo psychological testing and be interviewed for a final evaluation.”

Formation for the next group of deacons will begin in the fall of 2008. The candidates will most likely pursue enrollment in the diocese’s new Pastoral Ministry Leadership Formation which is under the direction of Deacon Rick Miech. Five of the aspirants are already enrolled in the program which began classes this fall.

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