The human and spiritual formation of permanent deacons in the light of the Church teaching and local Church experience

Abstract

The article aims to present the two fundamental dimensions of the integral formation of future permanent deacons, i.e. the human and spiritual. The human dimension has the task of shaping the personality of the sacred ministers to ensure that they become a ‘bridge’ and not an ‘obstacle’ for others in their meeting with Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of man. Spiritual formation instead represents the completion of human formation and is the unifying centre of every Christian formation, since it enhances the development of new life received in Baptism. It is essential for candidates for the permanent diaconate because it helps them in the appropriate vocational discernment and the acquisition of the spirituality of the service following the example of Jesus Christ, the Servant. It is noted, that the two dimensions of the formation of future permanent deacons are closely linked to each other and also complement each other. The training programmes of this formation are contained in the national ‘Rationes institutionis diaconorum permanentium’, developed by Episcopal Conferences and approved by the Congregation for the Clergy.