Many thanks to Deacon Alison Handcock for flagging this up! Two cheers for Southwark and their championing of Distinctive Deacon vocations as well as priesthood. Only two cheers because they are still wanting 'a priest' champion. Bold type is my addition. Diocesan Champion for Ordained Vocations Job Description The Diocese of Southwark encompasses urban South … Continue reading DIOCESAN CHAMPION FOR ORDAINED VOCATIONS: Diocese of Southwark
Category: Blog
An honest, thought-provoking article by Benjamin Mann for the Catholic Exchange. It's primarily for those who are exploring a call to Catholic priesthood but is relevant to everyone discerning a vocation. It is quite traditional and correct to speak of “discerning a vocation” – particularly to consecrated life or the priesthood, though also in regard … Continue reading YOUR VOCATION IS NOT ABOUT YOU
Right everyone, here's something really important for us DDs. Rev Ian McIntosh, head of ministry formation for Ministry Division, has sent me his first draft of formation criteria for Distinctive Deacons for IME 1 (only). (IME stands for Initial Ministerial Education, and is for the phase of training that happens on theological courses or theological … Continue reading NEW FORMATION QUALITIES FOR DISTINCTIVE DEACONS IME 1
Epiphany It might have been just someone else’s story, Some chosen people get a special king. We leave them to their own peculiar glory, We don’t belong, it doesn’t mean a thing. But when these three arrive they bring us with them, Gentiles like us, their wisdom might be ours; A steady step that finds … Continue reading EPIPHANY
And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven… Love was Stephen’s weapon by which he gained every battle, and so won the crown signified by his [Christ’s] name… Strengthened by the power of his love, he overcame the raging cruelty of Saul and won his persecutor … Continue reading FEAST OF ST STEPHEN, DEACON AND MARTYR
https://youtu.be/n60BW2Ncu2Y Christmas blessings, everyone.
Deacon Jess Foster reflects on a land and peoples she is coming to know and love. Image from Daniel Case I bet nearly everyone reading this blog has heard this Christmas staple in the past few weeks. I wonder how you responded to it? Does it jar, inspire or are you numbed by familiarity? Does … Continue reading O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM …
As warden of the college of St Philip the Deacon in Exeter diocese, I work to a diocesan steering group who recently asked me to provide a short paper on how long people who have been ordained distinctive deacon should spend in the diaconate, before they could start candidating for priesthood. Most deacons will be … Continue reading HOW LONG IN DISTINCTIVE DIACONATE BEFORE EXPLORING PRIESTHOOD?
Methodist deacon David Clark and Methodist presbyter Maurice Staton have produced an interesting response to the recently published Diaconate in Ecumenical Perspective, edited by Deacon Michael Jackson. Michael says in his foreword to the paper, I note in particular their emphasis on the diaconate’s missional role in building a ‘kingdom community’ (a favourite phrase of … Continue reading TOWARDS A RENEWED DIACONATE
A Whatsapp conversation recently was sparked off by a diaconal enquirer, who had been to see her DDO in a diocese which does not currently support distinctive deacon vocations (!) She said "He is warming to the idea of me being a deacon, especially SSM but I have a lot of rough edges." (image Champlain … Continue reading MESSY, UNTIDY AND GLORIOUS VOCATION: DEACONS DISCUSS (3)
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 