The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and the Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States (Ascension)

NDPD 221

National Directory for Permanent Deacons

aware of this ministry, [and] gives to the candidate a strong aid to his vocational discernment.” 11

The Family Community 221 The family is the primary community accompanying the candidate on the formative journey. For married candidates, the communion of life and love, established by the marriage covenant and consecrated by the Sacrament of Matrimony, offers a singular contribution to the formation process. 12 The single candidate’s family also contributes to his formation; those responsible for implementing the formation process should con sult with the single candidate to ascertain the strength of his support from his family and friends in order to ensure that his vocation is also encouraged and fostered. The Marketplace Community 222 Those responsible for implementing the formation process are to thor oughly determine the candidate’s employment situation—his marketplace formation community—and its impact on his preparation, discernment, and readiness for ordination to the diaconate. St. John Paul II stressed the importance of this particular formation environment at a plenary assem bly of the Congregation for the Clergy: “It is the circumstances of his life—prudently evaluated by the candidate himself and by the diocesan bishop, before ordination—which should, if necessary, be adapted to the exercise of his ministry by facilitating it in every way.” 13

IV. THE DIMENSIONS OF FORMATION IN THE CANDIDATE STAGE

223 Those responsible for the candidate stage of formation should be thor oughly familiar with the doctrinal understanding of the diaconate, the

11 12 13

BNFPD, no. 27. BNFPD, no. 27.

PDO, no. 4.

110