National Directory

103

VOCATION, DISCERNMENT, AND SELECTION

applicants whom they have judged as possessing the necessary qual ities for entrance and successful completion of the aspirant stage. Upon reviewing the recommendation, vote, and rationale of the com mittee, the diocesan bishop is the one who decides whether to admit the applicant into the aspirant stage. If an applicant is judged not to be ready but to be a suitable aspirant in the future, the director of formation should convey to the applicant various options for how he might prepare himself to achieve the basic entrance requirements. It is also essential for the director of formation to keep frequent contact with these potential candidates. 189. With the acceptance of the applicant into aspirant formation, the admission process continues with an assessment of readiness for entrance into the candidate stage of formation. This phase of dis cernment extends throughout the entire aspirant formation process, thereby allowing ample opportunity for personal observations, dia logue, interviews, and additional assessments of each aspirant. 1. The inquirer who seeks consideration for ordination to the perma nent diaconate needs to enter into dialogue with his parish, because it is the pastor who is required to present him initially for diaconal formation. (182) 2. A formal application process, as well as a committee on admission should be in place to review and nominate applicants. (183, 297) 3. As part of the application process, those charged with admission must—with appropriate care for confidentiality and manifestation of conscience—explore for the presence of canonical impediments to ordination. If canonical dispensations are required, these must be obtained before admission to aspirant formation. (184) 4. Required application documents are listed in paragraph 186. (186) 5. With acceptance into aspirant formation, the applicant’s admission process continues with an assessment of readiness for entrance into the candidate stage of formation. (189) Norms