Overview

In response to the changing demographics of parish ministry, many dioceses have turned to the permanent diaconate as a response to the Church's ministry needs. The challenge of offering a high quality formation program, however, has proved to be a formidable task for many dioceses.

Building upon its solid reputation for preparing candidates for ordained ministry, Saint Meinrad School of Theology has developed a program of formation for the permanent diaconate that addresses the intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation requirements mandated by the Catholic Church and implemented in the national guidelines for the United States.

Saint Meinrad School of Theology enters into a partnership with an individual diocese to provide a formation program that is built on the resources and experience of Saint Meinrad, but also takes into account the resources and specific needs of the diocese. Saint Meinrad provides a basic academic component for ordained ministry, but schedules coursework, practica and workshops in collaboration with the diocese to address specific diocesan needs.

Saint Meinrad selects and assigns faculty, both regular faculty from the School of Theology and others who lecture as adjuncts, but spiritual directors, mentors, facilitators of theological reflection groups and supervisors of supervised ministry experiences are selected and assigned by the local diocese.