National Directory

136

CANDIDATE STAGE OF DIACONAL FORMATION

19. Scrutinies are to take place prior to institution into the ministries of lector and acolyte and prior to ordination to the diaconate. (241) 20. A retreat or day of reflection should precede the reception of the ministries of lector and acolyte. (246) 21. An interval of at least six months must elapse between the conferring of the ministry of acolyte and ordination to the diaconate. (248) 22. A canonical retreat of at least five days must precede ordination. (248) 23. After the institution into each ministry and after ordination, a cer tificate should be prepared containing the date, place, and name of the installing or ordaining prelate. It should be signed and sealed by the chancellor. This information also should be recorded in the diocesan book of ministries and ordinations. The director of for mation should also notify the church in which the newly ordained deacon was baptized so that the information regarding the ordi nation may be included in that church’s baptismal-sacramental records. The parish of Baptism may notify the director of forma tion when the information has been recorded.The newly ordained deacon’s personal and permanent file should also include a copy of the diocesan bishop’s letter of call to ordination as well as the written testimonial of ordination. All of these canonical documents should be transferred, as soon after the ordination as is convenient, from the formation office to a permanent location among the curia records in the diocesan chancery. (250)

1 BNFPD, nos. 45, 48. 2 BNFPD, no. 28. 3 BNFPD, no. 28. 4 BNFPD, nos. 49-50, italics added. See CIC, c. 236. 5 CL, no. 9, citing 1 Tm 5:22.

6 BNFPD, no. 82. 7 BNFPD, no. 26. 8 BNFPD, no. 16. 9 BNFPD, no. 26. 10 BNFPD, no. 22. 11 BNFPD, no. 27.