Microsoft Word 2 2015 Aspirant Handbook doc

 

 

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The current list of members of the Diaconate Board and Formators is available on the 

side bar link “

New Vocations to the Diaconate

.”  

ORIENTATION MEETING  

 

In June, you will be advised whether or not you have been accepted into the Aspirant 

Path of Diaconate Formation.  Shortly thereafter, in June or early July, you (and your wife, if 

married) will be invited to an Orientation Meeting.  The date and location will be announced 

well in advance.  During our gathering, you will get to meet other Aspirants, their families and 

your Aspirant Formators. You will also be provided with summer assignments, the 

syllabus

 for 

your Aspirancy year, a copy of the 

Covenant

, which will be signed during the September 

meeting, and a list of any books or pamphlets that are required reading prior to the first monthly 

meeting.  You will also be instructed to procure either the one volume or four-volume set of the 

Christian Prayer/Liturgy of the Hours. 

 

Some additional initial topics will be covered, you and your family will have the 

opportunity to talk about Aspirancy and other issues related to Diaconate Formation.  

MEETING LOCATION AND TIMES 

 

You will usually meet on the same weekend as the Diaconate Candidates.  A 

calendar

 for 

the entire year is on line on the Aspirant Web Page. The meeting will be held at: 

 

Carondelet Hospitality Center

  

385 Watervliet-Shaker Road  

 

Latham, NY 12110-4799. 

 (518) 

783-3536 

 

When arriving, drive to the rear entrance of the facility, which is accessed from Delatour 

Road.  Park in the lower lot and come to the rear door directly in front of the parking lot.  You 

will be provided with the access code to the rear door. 

 

Our day begins at 9:00 AM with prayer.  Bring your Liturgy of the Hours.  Lunch is at 

noon and is provided at no cost to you or your family.  We end our day with prayer at 3:30 P.M.  

Dress is casual. 

REQUIRED ATTENDENCE AT FORMATION MEETINGS 

 

After the initial Orientation Meeting, there are only ten (10) scheduled Aspirant 

formation meetings (September through June) during your Aspirant year and you must attend all 

ten meetings. If you are married, it is also important that, when possible, your wife attends all the 

meetings with you, so together, you and your wife can lovingly assess your relationship and the 

possible impact ordination would have on your marriage (See 

DMPLD

 141 and Section 2 above, 

paragraph titled: “Discernment by Your Wife”). 

 

During the interview process and prior to your acceptance into the Aspirant Path of 

Diaconal Formation, we asked that you, (and your wife if married), commit to attending all the 

monthly formation sessions. If you feel that you (and/or your wife if married) cannot make all 

ten meetings, then you may want to consider postponing Aspirancy and choose a year when you 

(and your wife, if married) can attend all the sessions. Talk with your primary Aspirant 

Formators and they will explain the process for suspending Aspriancy. Then the request must be 

made to the Bishop of Albany by letter. 

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Should a family, medical or job related emergency or another urgent and unexpected 

situation arise that is unavoidable and you (and/or your wife, if married) can’t attend a monthly 

meeting you must: 

-

 

Telephone one or both of your Aspirant Formators with as much advance notice a 

possible.   

-

 

Discuss the situation and obtain tentative approval to be absent.  

-

 

Follow this telephone conversation with an e-mail to both Formators with a copy to the 

Director of Initial Formation. 

 

Since there are no provisions for making up missed meetings, repeated absences may 

require extension of the Aspirancy period, suspending Aspirancy Formation as described above, 

or leaving Diaconate Formation process. 

CALENDAR 

 

At the Orientation Meeting, you will be sent a 

calendar

 of events for your Aspirancy year 

(July to June). The four-year calendar is also online.  This calendar will contain important dates 

for events and opportunities for spiritual and academic growth as well as the dates for your 

monthly meetings. 

 

 

Attendance at the spring diaconate ordination is required.  Attendance at the Diocesan 

Autumn Gathering and Spring Enrichment is strongly encouraged. 

 

The up-to-date calendar is available on line on your Aspirant Web Page.  

ANNUAL SYLLABUS 

 

A copy of the 

syllabus

 will be given to you at the Orientation Meeting and it is also 

available on-line.  The syllabus, which is online, begins with the agenda for the August gathering 

and then follows this format: 

 

Monthly Assignments 

-

 

Topic(s) to be covered at meeting.  

-

 

List of reading assignments (including books, articles and handouts).  

-

 

Writing assignments (which may include theological reflection(s), questions to be 

answered, journaling and other written assignments).   

 

 

All assignments must be completed eight days before your monthly meeting and e-mailed 

to your Formators.  Review the syllabus for the month or perhaps two ahead so you can learn to 

balance your time.  But try not to get too far ahead with your reading assignments so the material 

remains fresh in your mind. 

 

 

If it becomes necessary to adjust the syllabus during the year, you will be provided with 

an updated version which will also be available on-line. 

LITURGY EXPERIENCES 

 

While it is important that you remain an active Communicant with your Parish Family at 

weekend worship, and while we urge you to serve at your parish as often as possible during 

weekend liturgy as a Lector and Extraordinary Minister of Communion, you also need to 

develop your liturgical skills through observation and reporting.  This will be accomplished by 

attending a liturgy two to three times a month at another parish.  The types of liturgy includes 

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