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

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National Directory for Permanent Deacons

extraordinary circumstances of the Church in the United States in the fall of 2018, the Administrative Committee decided to postpone the discus sion and vote. In 2019 the CCLV Committee requested that the Admin istrative Committee approve the inclusion of the National Directory on the June 2019 General Assembly agenda for discussion and vote. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the document at the General Assembly meeting in June 2019. Later that summer it was submitted to the Congregation for the Clergy for recognitio . In November of 2019 Most Rev. James Checchio became CCLV chairman following his 2018 election. Under his chairmanship the CCLV Committee revised the document based on recommendations received from the Congrega tion for the Clergy in 2020. The Congregation for the Clergy granted the recognitio of the National Directory , 2nd edition, in November of 2020. 15 This National Directory is prescribed for the use of the diocesan bishop, as well as those responsible for its implementation. The specifications prescribed in this National Directory are to be incorporated by each dio cese of the conference when preparing or updating its respective diaco nal formation program and when formulating policies for the ministry and life of its deacons. 47 At the same time, diocesan bishops may make pastoral accommodations in the recruitment, education, and ongoing formation of permanent deacons, particularly those from, or called to serve, underserved ethnic or cultural communities. 48 V. THE OBJECTIVE AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS NATIONAL DIRECTORY 16 This National Directory is normative throughout the dioceses of the USCCB as well as within the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. 47 BNFPD and DMLPD, joint declaration; see BNFPD, nos. 14, 17. 48 “Hispanics account for 71 percent of the growth of the Catholic population in the United States since 1960. Approximately 60 percent of all Catholics younger than 18 are Hispanic. The fastest-growing group in the church in this country is Asian Catholics. Hundreds of thousands of Catholics from Africa and the Carib bean have made the U.S. their home.” Hosffman Ospino, “Keynote at Convocation of Catholic Leaders,” July 2, 2017, in Origins 47:11: 164.

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