Diaconate Office helps men discern call

By Christina Galeone
CFP Correspondent
While being aware of a potential calling to serve the Church is a blessing, knowing how to discern and pursue it isn’t always clear. Thankfully, for local men who feel called to become deacons, there’s the diocesan Office of the Diaconate.
One of several ministries that benefit from Partners in Charity, the diaconate program provides men with the support they need to discern their callings and the guidance needed to pursue them. And the office, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018, strives to provide even more to candidates for the diaconate, deacons and, consequently, the communities they serve.
 Its mission is to provide “competent, well-educated, spiritually formed and pastorally skilled deacons who will work with the bishop, priests, and lay pastoral leaders to meet the ministerial needs of the people,” according to the office’s website, worcesterdiocese.org/diaconate.
Its mission is also to “enable these deacons to be an integral part of the overall plan of meeting the pastoral needs of the people.” It completes its mission by offering – among other things – courses in discernment for potential deacons and their wives, retreats and conferences in academic and spiritual formation for candidates, and continuing education and spiritual formation for ordained deacons.
Because married men with secular jobs can become deacons, their lifestyle is similar to that of the laity. But since they’ve received the first level of holy orders from the bishop, they’re members of the clergy who can preach the Gospel and perform baptisms, weddings and funerals. They’re ordained to be symbols of Jesus who came “to serve and not to be served,” and they are heavily involved in works of charity, compassion and social justice.
According to Deacon William A. Bilow, Jr., the office’s director, the first step on the journey to becoming a deacon is discernment.
“Discernment continues into and throughout the formation process with development in the areas of human relationships, knowledge of the teachings of the Church, spirituality and pastoral care,” he said. “All four dimensions work together in a balanced way to assist the future deacon in his ministry. As director of the Office of the Diaconate, my own formation has enabled me to apply pastoral practices to candidates and deacons, as I guide them in their respective journeys.”
Deacon Bilow has been the office’s director since 2018, after serving as the co-director from April to December of 2017. In that time, he has seen how funds from Partners in Charity have made a positive difference for both candidates to the permanent diaconate and ordained deacons. He said that the funds primarily go to education and spiritual formation for both groups of men.
And many deacons in the diocese greatly appreciate that education and formation support.  
Deacon Alex M. Garcia, a safe environment coordinator at Holy Family Parish in Worcester who was ordained in 2019, is one of them. Deacon Garcia, who has a particularly deep devotion and gratitude to Mary, fondly remembers his eyes lighting up when a friend told him that he had entered the diaconate program. Deacon Garcia’s wife, Rubia, was also excited and asked him if he wanted to become a deacon also. He recalled sending an email to the office the next day.
He immediately began his journey to become a deacon. And he’s thankful that the office provided him with support in his vocation discernment and throughout the process. He’s also grateful that the office invites the deacons’ families into the process and helps the candidates to understand that their first mission as deacons is to serve within their homes.  
“It is no use wanting to change the world if we cannot bring the Gospel into our own home,” said Deacon Garcia, who’s also a proud dad. “So, we can understand that a Christian’s life is not without battle and, together with our wives, we can each carry our cross and go to meet those most in need by taking the Gospel and rescuing the lost sheep back to the Father’s house. For only with Christ and in Christ will we be able to accomplish our mission.”
While the office offers a wealth of resources, it hopes to offer more.
“I find joy in not only helping candidates and deacons in their faith journeys, but also implementing ideas that strengthen us as a community of deacons and their wives,” Deacon Bilow said, noting that an example of that unity was the 40th anniversary celebration for the whole diaconate community (including deacons’ wives).
“We regularly explore opportunities with retreat leaders to strengthen us spiritually,” he added. ”We’re looking into ways that we can be more effective in helping candidates and pre-admission inquirers to discern their call to ordained ministry. All of this is done through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and by the grace of God.”