Saint Meinrad's Permanent Deacon Formation Program works closely with local dioceses to ensure that the program meets their individual needs. The program is offered with live in-person instruction by lecturers at the diocese location. Classes can also be delivered online with live classes taught remotely at scheduled times or recorded classes and online course work to accommodate students’ schedules. There is also an option to alternate live in-person classes one month and the next month online.
The online schedule for formation is based on diocesan needs. Live online courses could be scheduled on a weeknight, such as 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. for four consecutive weeks, but other live schedules could be used to meet diocesan needs. Online courses with recorded videos and coursework to be completed at the convenience of students could also include online web conferences at intervals throughout the course to have live interaction between the students and lecturers.
The Saint Meinrad Permanent Deacon Formation Program live in-person option is based on monthly (September through June) weekend meetings for academic coursework and formation sessions.
The location of these formation weekends is determined by the diocese, and scheduling is done in consultation with Saint Meinrad. Lecturers travel to the diocese for their assigned weekends.
The degree of wives’ participation in the formation program is left to the discretion of diocesan officials. Throughout the program, it is important to maintain the distinction between the ordained ministry of the deacon and the ministerial activities of his wife, which she carries out as a lay person in her own right.
Apart from regular formation weekends, candidates come together for retreats (usually in August), meet regularly with a spiritual director, assemble in small theological reflection groups in locations selected to minimize travel time, and take on ministry assignments of interest to the candidates and the diocese, supervised and evaluated by local personnel.
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7 p.m. |
Prayer |
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7:30-9:30 p.m. |
Class |
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9:30 p.m. |
Social |
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7:30 a.m. |
Breakfast |
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8:30-10:30 a.m. |
Class |
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10:45 a.m. |
Eucharist |
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11:30 a.m. |
Lunch |
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12:30-1:30 p.m. |
Break |
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1:30-3:30 p.m. |
Class |
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3:45-5:45 p.m. |
Formation Program |
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6 p.m. |
Evening Prayer |
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6:30 p.m. |
Dinner |
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7:30-9 p.m. |
Class |
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9:30 p.m. |
Social |
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7:30 a.m. |
Breakfast |
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8:30-10 a.m. |
Class |
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10:15 a.m. |
Eucharist |
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11:15 a.m. |
Lunch |
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12-2 p.m. |
Class |