The Deacon Personnel Board is responsible for recommending the placement of deacons in ministerial assignments in accord with the philosophy of The One Ray of Hope (see Section Four). These recommendations will be made with every effort to coordinate the abilities and preferences of the individual deacon and his family with the specific needs of a particular assignment and the overall requirements of the Archdiocese.
The primary objective of the Board is to match the needs of an individual parish, institution or agency with the competence and potential of an individual deacon. Through information forms, personal interviews, and direct contacts with deacons, the Board becomes more familiar with the background, experience, and individual goals of deacons in recommending candidates for appointment to ministerial assignments.
The Division of Clergy Personnel is responsible for creating and keeping up to date a system of detailed and accurate information regarding deacons including their ministerial experience, continuing formation activities and personal preferences. The Division is also responsible for maintaining a list of parish and institutional vacancies and for handling all requests for deacon assignments.
The goals of the placement process are:
The placement process is carried out through a series of steps. The essential elements of the placement process include, but are not limited to:
A recommendation for change of assignment may originate in several ways:
The normal retirement age for a deacon is 75. The deacon may request earlier retirement for reasons of health, long-term family responsibilities, or other circumstances that inhibit his ability to fulfill his diaconal duties. For the same reasons the Archbishop may direct the deacon to retire prior to his 75th year.
Retirement means a deacon will not be asked to take a new active assignment.
A deacon is appointed for a five-year term which is renewable after evaluation. The normal retirement age for a deacon is 75.