Admissions Process

             
 

How To Begin A Formal Inquiry

   
   

Contact                

 

   

     

Director of Diaconate Formation
Sr. Wanda Billion, MSC, Director
Diocese of Stockton
212 N. San Joaquin Street
Stockton, CA 95202-2409
209/466-0636

 
       

 

   
   

How To Begin Discernment Process

   
       

- Attend one of our Regional Inquiry For Discernment Sessions held in the Fall  and in the Spring

- Interact with other men and their wives interested in exploring a vocation to the Diaconate

- Obtain the required endorsement from your parish Pastor. He will want to meet with you and your spouse (if married) to establish a relationship, if one does not already exist. It is your pastor who will determine you show evidence of the qualities, attitudes, experience and spirituality necessary for admission into the program

- Submit the pre-application form to the Office For Pastoral Leadership Development

   
   

Application and Screening For Aspirancy

   
       

Application materials will be forwarded only to those applicants whose pre-application has been received indicating that the criteria for admissions and a potential vocational calling to the diaconate is present. The Office for Pastoral Leadership Development and the Formation of Deacons has the right to withhold invitation to or participation in any of the application, admission or formation processes for the diaconate within the Diocese of Stockton at any tie. All application material and information become the confidential (non-returnable) property of the Diocese of Stockton, to be used solely in the selection, admission and formation process for diaconate formation.

   
   

The Formal Application and Screening Process

   
       

The formal application and screening process will include the compilation of the following documents:

- A Church certificate of Baptism, Confirmation, and if relevant, marriage issued within the past six months

- Proof of age: The United States Conference of Bishops has established the minimum age of ordination at thirty five years

- A completed application form and a consent form regarding psychological consultation and the confidentiality of consultative reports

- A recent photograph of the nominee and, if married, of his spouse and family

- A personal handwritten statement from the wife of a married applicant indicating her initial consent for his application and entrance into formation

- A marital assessment

- A “perceiver inventory” for the deacon

- A faith and theological knowledge inventory

- Letters of recommendation (parish staff, personal, others as required)

- A recent medical certificate

- Official transcripts of past or present academic studies

- A written report of the rector of any previous house in which the candidate has spent time in formation, including explicit reference to the evaluation of the candidate and the votes he received

- A background check (criminal, credit, and sexual predator) under the auspices of the diocesan diaconate office

- Proof of US citizenship