Letters of Good Standing
Guidelines for information needed for deacons
requesting a Letter of Good Standing
2024 Deacon Retreats
Deacon Only Summer Retreat – August 23rd – 25th, 2024
Deacon Couples Retreat – October 25th – 27th, 2024 (Registration Form)
As always the retreats will be at Bishop Lane Retreat Center. Msgr. Barr will be our speaker for the weekend. While the retreat does begin at 7:30pm you may want to consider arriving early for check-in and socializing with the group.
The reservation deadline for the Deacon Couples Retreat is Friday, October 17th.
If you have any dietary restrictions, please send me a note with your deposit.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
May God bless you today and always,
Rita Araoz
Marriage Preparation Directives from Bishop Malloy
June 6, 2023
Dear Permanent Deacons,
Please see the attached correspondence from Bishop Malloy regarding Marriage Preparation. Many of our deacons and their wives help prepare couples for marriage. I want them particularly to know about these changes, the upcoming Teams Meeting, and that they can call us at any time with questions. These directives are effective for couples beginning preparation after July 1, 2023.
Links to both English and Spanish versions of the documents can be found below.
ENG-Letter-to-Priests-re-Diocesan-Marriage-Prep-Changes-June-2023.pdf
ENG-2023-June-Attachment-Explaining-Diocesan-Marriage-Prep-Changes.pdf
SPAN-Letter-to-Priests-re-Diocesan-Marriage-Prep-Changes-June-2023.pdf
SPAN-2023-June-Attachment-Explaining-Diocesan-Marriage-Prep-Changes.pdf
Ongoing Formation Hours
All active deacons are required to complete 25 hours of ongoing formation hours annually. If you are in need of a form, refer to page 110 of your Deacon Handbook and copy/enlarge the page. You may also download the form from the member section of this website.
Completed forms for the each year are due prior to March 1 of the following year. Please submit completed forms to this office in a timely fashion.
Virtual Tours of the Vatican
Be sure to allow yourself enough time to take this virtual tour of The Vatican. It is awesome.
INSTRUCTIONS: After you link on the site below and select an image, double click with the left mouse button and it appears, then HOLD DOWN THE LEFT MOUSE BUTTON AND SLOWLY MOVE THE CURSOR AROUND THE ROOM and to the ceiling.
http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/
san_giovanni/vr_tour/index-en.html
The Vatican virtual tours – once you get the hang of it, you can easily spend hours on this site…
Deacon to Deacon
A number of deacons have enquired about the status of the St. Stephen – Deacon Relief Fund. As background, the Office has been given funds by parishes [tithes], deacons and individuals earmarked for assistance to deacons or their families in times of great need. The funds are kept in a separate account, isolated from the operating funds. With the advice of the Bishop’s Committee for the Permanent Diaconate and authorization of the Vicar for Clergy, the Office has made several gifts since the funds inception over a decade ago.
If you or your parish would like to make a gift, please do so by sending a check accompanied by a letter stating the origin and intended use of the funds.