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

NDPD

Organization, Structure, and Personnel

286

regularly scheduled assessments; makes home and parish visitations; supervises the formation team, faculty, and mentors; and maintains con tact with the aspirants’ and candidates’ pastors. 285 The director must be familiar with the diaconate—its history, theology, and practice. He should have parish experience, as well as practical skills and experience in formation, curriculum development, adult educa tional methodology, vocational discernment, supervision, and adminis tration. He must be capable of providing spiritual leadership to the for mation community. In most dioceses, the director of formation fulfills several administrative functions, except the spiritual direction of aspi rants and candidates. 10 Director of Spiritual Formation 11 286 The director of spiritual formation assists the director of formation by coordinating the entire spiritual formation program, giving it unity and direction. He provides for the individual spiritual direction of each aspi rant and candidate. He also may serve as a spiritual director for an aspi rant and/or candidate. He provides an orientation to the spiritual dimen sion in aspirant and candidate formation to other spiritual directors, who have been chosen by the aspirants or candidates with the approval of the diocesan bishop. 12 The director of spiritual formation provides for the liturgical life and prayer of the aspirant and candidate communities, making appropriate provision for the celebration of the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, and opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance in formation gatherings. He is also responsible for retreats and days of recollection, ensuring that they are well planned and carefully executed. The director of spiritual formation, who must be a priest, 13 is

10 11 12

BNFPD, no. 21. BNFPD, no. 23.

PDV, no. 57. See BNFPD, no. 85.

13 “It is the intention of our Dicasteries that the variety of offices in diaconal formation and post-ordination ministry: the Director of the Formation Program, the Coordinator for Pastoral Formation, Mentors, the Director of the Permanent Diaconate should be reserved to clerics—and in the case of the Director of Spiritual Formation (an office not mentioned in the Ratio fundamentalis), Pastors and Priest Pastoral Supervisors, they must be a priest.” Congregation for Catholic Education and the Congregation for the

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